Swine of Terra
by Star Fiction Studio et al
Summary: Eden imprisoned Megaman Carnage, an aberrant unit of unmatched power, for transgression. After over 200 years of confinement, he escapes for the lost of the Black refractor. Now X and his friends, his enemies, and the forces of Eden must stop him before h
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer:

I do not own Megaman or any characters from the original series, the X series, nor the legend series. I do not own any music I inserted in this fiction.

This fiction may be reproduced or copied (including photocopy) provided it is not used for any form of profit. And permission from the author is not needed.

However, please notify the author if you intend to use this for profit, movie, book or comic making. Notifying the game's publisher, Capcom, is also, recommended as well.

For any non-profit activities, you can borrow any of my characters without permission and I promise you that I won't sue or bother you in any way.

Author's note:

I know that some, if not all, would disagree with the fact that Megaman X, Zero, Bass, and Blues (Protoman) do not exist in the world of Terra and the Legends Series. Truly they do not exist in this world suppose to be but as due to the plot's requirement I cannot allow Megaman Trigger, who is human, to take the role here and a robot, Megaman X must take such task. Also, Zero, Bass and Blues would take supporting role in this novella because X alone cannot accomplish much of the task ahead that requires him.

I would extend my thanks to Fanfiction.net and the authors posting their stories in this site for helping me start writing.


	2. Outbreak

Chapter 1: Outbreak

"Drone, are you alright" A girl with long brown hair, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans asked from a computer, or a very large machine. She appears slender and no more than 16 years old.

"I'm alright Timmy, and I think I am nearing the refractor now" A teenage Negroid man respond through his VHF radio. 

He was wearing a kevlar jacket, black lower fatigue, combat shoes and a pair of black gloves. He seems to be eighteen years old. He was inside a ruin made almost entirely of metal. The walls had pipes, some as large as a drainage canal while others as small as a gardening hose. 

"Ops a, a, … a reaverbot! HELP HELP!" Drone jokes as he run a round the very spot he was. "Heh, just joking. Ha ha ha " 

"Quit fooling around! You wouldn't want to get in to real trouble." Timmy scolded him by the radio.

"Alright but you hurt my joys you know. (You are such a killjoy)" 

Drone entered another room and saw a something protected by a cylindrical white shield. He quickly ran to check it but was amazed to see that this was not what he expected. He saw a black refractor, and it was over a foot feet tall.

"Yo, Tim, check this reading out."

"Something wrong?" asked Timmy from the radio

"Perhaps or perhaps not. There is a black refractor here" Drone said as he moved closer to the shield protecting the refractor.

"This is no time for jokes OK." Scolds Timmy. "Now what did you see?"

"Honest. ~ Cross my heart and hope to die. I see a black refractor in my very eye. ~" Drone then cross his heart.

"Just get the refractor. OK. I will find out if you're joking again. And one more thing; Stop your rhythmic lines and grow up. It's a serious matter we are in"

"OK" Drone turned off his radio. "Man, I hate your guts. But I love your looks" Drone said as he turned off the shield protecting the refractor and he snatched it quickly. 

"SECURITY OVERIDE!" A strange O.S. voice was heard. "MEGAMAN CARNAGE SEAL DISENGAGED."

"Huh." Drone was confused "What 'security' and who or what is 'Megaman Carnage'. Oh well, as long as I got this. All that is left for me is to slip out of here"

He then dashed out as quickly as possible, ignoring everything else in the almost-vacant ruin.

"See I told you!" Drone said as he gracefully presented the black refractor with a bow. 

"Urgh. (You always make me mad) Alright you win" Timmy answered "Lets get back home"

Drone kept the black refractor in a steel cabinet. He later turn towards Timmy, who was start driving their airship away from the ruin.

"Timmy how about a kiss?" 

"No way, not in a million lifetime!" Timmy responded harshly.

"Oh please, please, PLEASE!" Drone replied as he kneed from behind Timmy.

"No means NO!"

"Oh why! WHY NOT, WHY!" Drone yelled as he tried to fake some crying while kneeling and begging.

"Did you hear me, I said no!" Timmy then started to get madder. Her hands are gripping the wheels very tightly and her face frowning. 

"Oh WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY…!!!!" Drone shouted as he tried to make fake cries while still kneeling. 

Timmy switches to autopilot let go of the wheel and…slap Drone at his left cheek. "Get a load of yourself and stop acting like a spoiled brat, you twit." She said as she headed back to the wheel. 

Drone sat on the floor and spread his legs apart. Then he started making fake weeping "WAAAA! WAAAAA!" 

*Alright, that does it! You asked for it* She turned back to Drone. "Just one kiss if you keep yourself quiet" 

Drone got up on his feet, and raced to kiss Timmy. Timmy pressed a folded polishing rug onto his lips and stung his butt with a hypodermic syringe containing anesthetics.

"Ouch, that hurts. What was that?" Drone complained as he felt a sharp pain from his butt. Timmy pulled out a hypodermic syringe and waves her hands good bye. "Sweet dreams. But I hope you don't get one." Then she smiled as Drone fell onto the floor and fell asleep.

In about a while later, a large containment unit was vigilantly watched by a robotic unit in another brightly lit ruin. The entire ruin was white with microchip-like attachments. The watcher appeared to be like a samurai but every square inch of his body, even his face, is metal. He was armed with a pink light saber instead of a regular sword.

"Here he comes…" he whispered to himself as he watched a steel door of the containment unit slide opened. He took a few steps backward as he prepares to charge whatever comes out of it.

To his surprise the chamber was empty. Where did that thing got me the slip? Without warning, he was knocked down by a hard blow from his back. 

"Surprise, can't see, and faced down eh… On your feet Gladius!" a voiced came. 

Gladius recovered but he was a bit dizzy. His armor was badly cracked at the back. He rolled over slowly and tries to see.

A figure appeared human or robot-human and it was standing in front of him. He had a long, light-violet, untidy hair. His eyes were red at the iris. He had a back body armor with a grayish cape. A smirk crossed his face.

"IS that the will of a warrior or is it of the loser?" The figure commented. "Perhaps you showed me the will of wimp loser"

"Megaman Carnage… I will take you on!" Gladius charged and slashed his sword. To no avail, Megaman Carnage was gone.

"Too slow…" Carnage dashed from nowhere at blazing speed and punched Gladius off guard at his sides.

Gladius again fell on his knees and his left palm. His armor was broken and some of his internal circuits were exposed. He got up as he covered his damaged abdomen.

Gladius countered with 90 slashes and thrusts in a second but Carnage was so fast that none hit him. Carnage then struck Gladius' chin with an uppercut then a kick so hard it sent him flying and crashing to the ceiling, sending him bouncing to the wall, then to the floor.

"Get up" Carnage demands 

Gladius was slowing down dramatically from his injuries. His shoulder was now dislocated, his chest was badly damaged and partly torn, his chin was smashed, and his back neck was slightly frayed. He could hardly stand up properly and was moving like he got drunk. When his focused was back, Gladius was breathing hard and exhausted. 

Although Gladius is one of Eden's Special Forces, the strongest of Eden's troops, he could hardly keep up with Carnage's might. Every hit he received from Carnage felt like he was run over by a car.

Spending every ounce of his remaining energy, Gladius adjust his saber's switch to full power and made one hard and quick slash onto Carnage. Carnage can see this very clearly and slowly, though Gladius was moving faster than sound. He didn't move to see the results. Gladius struck Carnage so hard his light saber overloads and ceased to function.

"Is that it, is that all you and your more pathetic weapon can do!" Carnage said in disappointment. There was not a scratch in his body and Carnage got so mad at Gladius' weakness. He wouldn't even think that Gladius is worth fighting.

"Pathetically unacceptable!" Carnage yelled in frustration "Your no better than the last time I fought you and your company." Carnage struck Gladius with a karate chop so hard at the middle of his back.

Gladius tried to evade but Carnage was too fast for him. Worse, he had exhausted all his energy, making such action entirely impossible. He fell onto the floor face down. His back was broken and his body was almost torn to half, only a few wires and circuits were holding it together. His body was starting to shoot out electrical charges and his internal generator cease to function. 

Gladius press his 'wrist watch' using the last of his energy. "You may kill me now…but that won't do you any good…" He twitched his wrist as a transistor of his shorts and burst. "All units from the system to the last tiny transistor had been warned about your breakaway…uh"

"Excellent work…FOOL!" Carnage raised his arm, formed a yellow energy ball the size of a grapefruit and hurled it towards Gladius. "Now they shall taste my fury as well."

The contact of the energy ball with Gladius triggered a large explosion – consuming the later in flames and smoke. Wrecked metal, broken chips, and severed wires went off in all directions. 

But not satisfied, Carnage turned to see the whole room. The dungeon of his that held him for years irritate him. Not only the warden, Gladius, will go but the rest of this prison as well.

Carnage turned to the walls and shot out orange beams from his palms. The walls pulverized into dust and left a crater in place. He lay more shots around the room, blasting the walls off of its finishing and leaving more craters and scrapped to reveal the rocky built up behind the walls. 

Eyeing on the containment unit that held him for years, Carnage sent a blast of orange energy from his palm and the containment went off in flames. He turned to the door, an incredibly large beam shot from his palm and broke through he door, through the next room's wall and onwards. The dark unit beam floated in the air, launching out of the room, taking a look back and blasted the room into bits. Next he turned to the next room, blasting it in all the frenzy of his powers. 

Ceilings collapse, floors crumbled underfoot, walls decayed in rumble and Carnage kept flying room after room, blasting everything he can see. The dungeon ruin suffered so much damages that it began falling apart. But Carnage continued blasting the ruin even more. The Explosions soon finished the entire ruin, chamber after chamber, was engulf in flame and got incinerated. Fires and some energy explosion were blowing up until it reached, engulfed, and brought down the tower, which serves as the entrance, in ashes.

Out of the smoke of the entrance, Carnage's figure emerged unharmed and giving a grin smile while watching the clear sky slightly covered in smoke from the fire he created. He watched from other direction, checking if there is anybody else he could find.

"EDEN! I HEREBY DECLARE WAR AGAINST YOU AND EVERYONE OF YOUR KIND AND YOUR MINIONS…!" He shouted towards the sky, loud enough to be heard within a mile, then he flew away from the burning ruins into the perpetual sea surrounding his former prison tower.


	3. In Kattlelox Island

Chapter 2: In the Kattlelox Island…

Timmy was docking her airship her home island named 'Chalk Hill'. Slowly, she walked out of her air ship with the black refractor on the arms, leaving the sleeping Drone behind.

The island had clear blue sky. Knee-length grasses flooded the island's plains. Though named 'Chalk Hill' there are no hills but man-size bumps and rocks across the island's center.

"Hello Timmy" A man with short brown hair, wearing blue trousers, brown slacks, and a white polo T-shirt greeted her. Although he was no more than 25 years old, he seem to be a bit slow even with the help of a cane on his right hand. The man walked closer. "Hey what's that?" He asked as he saw Timmy bringing a black refractor.

"Well, Kevin, I don't know… I never thought there is such thing as a black refractor" Timmy answered with doubts. She stared at the refractor on her hands. She was wondering if this is some joke or some strange artifact in the ruin or this is some kind of a trap.

"You don't seem secured when doubts shadow your mind Timmy…" Kevin answered with compassion as he approaches Timmy and rests his hand on her shoulder. Then he smiled at Timmy. "Why don't we go to Kattlelox Island, I heard that professor Barrel is there. Perhaps he can tell us about this black refractor you found."

"Its OK, we don't have to bother going." Timmy replied as she headed towards her house nearby.

"No Timmy. This (black) refractor you found must be quite a find." Kevin called "This could be a very important find. Even a one-of-a-kind refractor."

"Its OK, I can dwell on my anxiety." Timmy replied as she turned around to Kevin again. "Besides, you're not well and I don't want anything to happen to you"

"Timmy, I know that I am not well." Kevin replied in a low and compassionate "But, I am just as curious and anxious as you are. I think its better we show this to Barrel. I too am worried about you because of this treasure. Besides, Kattlelox Island isn't far…" 

Timmy smile and nod at Kevin. "Well, I think you are right, let's go…"

As Timmy and Kevin entered their Airship, a mysterious bird overheard their conversation. It appeared like a metallic condor and it had no feathers. When Airship left, the robotic bird departed towards the ocean in the other direction.

Tron was looking around and checking the servbots maneuvering the Gasselcraft. Afterwards, she was drawing out some lines on the map at the bridge of the ship, probably to point their next destination.

"Miss Tron! You must see this." Servbot 7 called her out while watching the radar monitor. Tron was shocked that the last segments of the lines she drew out got very crooked. 

"What! I am busy and I told you yesterday not to bother me when I plot out the map!" Tron answered angrily and she turned back to her map

"Please Miss Tron." Servbot 8 called out before Tron could draw anything on the map "We detected an object. It is too small to be of any ship or aircraft but the radar showed that this is had an unusually strong energy around it."

"What!? What do you mean!" Tron answered angrily again as she approached the radar the servbots were observing. 

"Miss Tron, there is something ahead" Servbot 12 called for Tron while steering the ship's wheel.

Tron turned her attention towards the window to see what the commotion was all about. She picked out a binocular on the nearby table for a better look. *Megaman X? No, It can't be, X is blue and this figure is black and it also has a cape* She thought but still she continue to observing the stranger with her binocular. 

"Try to get closer on that…thing" Tron ordered servbot 12.

"Aye aye Miss Tron." Servbot 12 answered while steering the Gasselcraft. Thereby following Carnage directly from behind, about 10 miles and closing.

Carnage started to get irritated with the Gasselcraft behind him. *What the heck is the matter with you. Get off my tail!* He thought as he burst with blazing speed. Putting him ahead of the Gasselcraft for nearly another two miles before turning right. 

"Follow him" Tron, shouted

The Gasselcraft increased it speed towards Carnage, making him even angrier.

"Alright! You ask for it!" Carnage stops his flight, stood still on the air, turned towards the curious ship and fired an orange beam from his palm and towards the Gasselcraft. The beam was so huge it can swallow the Gasselcraft whole and it was over a mile long!

Servbot 12 screamed in fear too scared to steer, as the beam raced towards closer and closer. Tron hastily pushed away the servbot 12 and took the wheels herself. She made a quick, sharp turn left, narrowly evading the beam. The beam was so strong that it rocked the Gasselcraft.

Tron was so terrified at the enormous beam that she fell butts first after steering the wheel. A few servbots came to Tron's aid. Servbot 12 and 7 came to take the wheel.

"Are you alright Miss Tron?" Servbot 5 asked. But Tron was breathing hard and fast and shivering because of her fright. She was too scared to respond.

Teisel entered the bridge while massaging his head. "What happened? The whole ship shook!" asked but when he saw that his sister was in shock, he quickly came closer to her aid.

"Are you alright?" Teisel asked at Tron but all she did was breathe hard and fast. "What happened" Teisel asked the other servbots.

"Master Teisel, we were following a strange person" Servbot 10 answered

"He looks like Megaman Trigger X but his color is black instead of blue" Servbot 2 continued.

"He even had a cape." Servbot 21 said

"He must be angry and he shot us with this huge laser." Servbot 7 said waiving its 'hands.'

"Luckily, Miss Tron save us by taking this wheels and took us away from the beam" Servbot 12 continued. 

"The beam must have shocked her" Servbot 30 continued

"Alright, I will jus take her to her room and give her some rest" Teisel said as he lift Tron and exits the bridge.

The Airship docked outside the gates of the apple market of Kattlelox Island. Its engines stopped and Timmy and Kevin, with a leather bag, stepped out of the craft, leaving Drone asleep on the couch. 

"Halt." A police officer by the gate shouted "Your ship is on the 'no parking zone', move out or else I will issue you a ticket"

Kevin stepped forward "Officer, we will move our ship but please grant us the permission to see Professor Barrel Casket."

"Then why do you want to see Professor Barrel Gasket?" The police officer asked

"Timmy and I would like to show him this…"Kevin opened the leather bag and showed to the officer a black refractor.

"You got your point their sir, I'll contact the inspector." The officer said as he pulled out his radio and called the station

Kevin turned to Timmy "Timmy, just dock the ship a little further from here."

"OK." Timmy answered as she entered the Airship and maneuvered it towards the Cardon Forest. 

X, Blues, and Bass were walking around the downtown towards the apple market. They met an officer running pass them. 

"Something must be going on…" Bass said.

"Let's follow him." X said as he, Blues and Bass followed the officer. The trios then followed the officer towards Cardon forest…

"Here are your Citizen ID Cards." The officer hands over some cards to Kevin and Timmy.

"Thanks." Kevin responds. Afterwards, the officer walks away.

"Hey officer, something wrong?" Blues asked, while X and bass followed him.

"Well, Not really but there is something interesting here" the officer said and turn his attention to X "This guy had a black refractor and he wants to see your grandfather, Barrel, to study his artifact."

"You knew professor Barrel too." Kevin came and asked when he overheard the conversation.

"Yes…" X answered

"Great, Can you take me to him." Kevin begged for X

"Sure" X replied as they all went towards the city. Bass was somehow late from the rest of the group and he saw the bush at the side of the road moved around as though someone or something disturbed it.

"Bass, something you see or what." Blues asked

"I thought I saw the bush trickled or something"

"It's probably some animal or winds, don't you think?"

"Well, I don't know but…"

"We better go, or else we will be very, VERY, behind." 

"Alright" Then Bass and Blues entered the city via Apple Market.

In the bushes, there were three men. They all wore some black fatigues with mask. 

"Did you see that." The thug whispered.

"That must worth a fortune…we will be rich!" 

"Yes, let's go get it" 

Barrel was reaching for a book high at the shelf but he couldn't because of his 'hunch-back' posture. It was pretty normal for him partly because he was already old. 

"Darn book!" he scolded out as he tried to reach it high in the shelf "Must I have to use a ladder all the time." He left the shelf in search of a ladder when suddenly the doorbell rang.

"Coming…" He called out sighing. He reached for and opened the door and he saw X, Blues, Bass, Kevin, and Timmy.

"Hi grandpa!" X greeted Barrel.

"Why hello, but was it just this morning you visited me?"

"Um yes but I think there is something important that you must see."

"Greetings teacher…" Kevin said

"TEACHER!?" everybody yelled said. 

"Um do I know you? Please forgive me I can't remember you anywhere." Barrel apologizes

"Well teacher, perhaps you couldn't. My name is Kevin Radius and you were my history teacher when I was still a little child." Kevin explains.

"Ah! Now I remember!" Then Barrel and Kevin hugged each other. "Ha! I am so happy you still remember me!" Barrel said full of Joy.

"Um grandpa, can I go, I have to go to Apple Market to buy Roll a gift when she comes back with Zero this 1 PM" X said

"Well go ahead sunny." Barrel said

"Thanks grandpa" X then dashes out.

"Hey, I want to buy Roll a gift too, WAIT FOR ME!" Bass shouted as he followed X running.

Blues cannot decide if he should stay and help Barrel or go with X and Bass.

"You might as well go with them, Roll may not be happy if you have nothing to give her after she had been away for two weeks" Barrel told Blues.

"Will it be OK? I mean um…" Blues said with difficulty explaining of what might happen.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. We are at peace. There are no pirates, no reaverbots, no bombing and no crooks." Barrel assures Blues of his safety "Besides I am not alone in here."

"OK, thanks professor" Blues said as he walks out calmly and slowly out the door.

Bass was counting his money while walking down the street in downtown. "200, 300, 500, 760, um…that's good." He said but suddenly he was nearly run over by a car driven by an impatient old lady.

"WATCH IT!" the old lady yank while blowing the horn of her car.

"Hey, I'm walking here! You…" Bass replied angrily but X grab him off the street.

"What's the matter with you. You were nearly flat down by jaywalking." X scolded him

"I was just counting my money to make sure I had enough." Bass reasoned out with utmost innocence.

"OK but where is Blues?" X asked. Blues, however, slip into the manhole of downtown and into the ruins.

A strange purifier unit (or something that looks like a purifier unit) was walking back and forth atop a tower ruin standing over 2,000 feet above sea level. Besides him is three other purifier units standing still and upright with discipline, very much like cadets.

he walking figure had black and white armor with a slightly pointed shoulder piece and a white cape. He wore a helmet that covers his scalp and the back of his head and he had a featureless mask made of silvery metal in the place of his face. Based on his appearance and what he was doing, he seemed to be like the leader of the other units

Two of the three purifier-units were male and one a female. From the left, a purifier with white armor he had a glass shield covering his eye and was also wearing a white helmet. At the center, a female purifier, easily recognized by her pinkish lips, pink and gray armor brown eyes and her slender, feminine body form. She had a helmet too, colored pink with a brown hair that goes down to her back but not reaching her hips. The last unit wore a green armor and helmet. His one eye was jacked and the other colored blue.

After walking back and forth across the circle of the top of the tower, the capped unit turn his attention a bit outward towards the direction the other units were facing. He seems to sense someone, more like a friendly troop or messenger, coming. Then a metallic bird, the one from Chalk Hill, was seen in a distance. The black unit stretch out his arm and the bird then clutches its claws on the arm.

"What took you so long! This better be good!" The unit growl. The bird then sent some sound of some code, like telegraph sounds, for the black unit to hear.

"Excellent but it still took you so long." The unit turned his attention to the white unit. "Alright, Megaman Ion. Take your troops to Kattlelox, invade downtown." 

"Unit Quantum, take yourself and your troops with me!" He said talking to the pink purifier.

"Megaman Deadeye, take over the sky of Kattlelox. Nobody in or out until I tell you to." He said to the green-armored unit.

"Now proceed!!!" He yelled then flew fast then the three units followed him north. Along the way, giant brown capsules each as big as a football field, raised from the tides of the sea and followed them. First there were only 3 then 10 then 35 then still there were over a hundred and still accumulating. 

The lead unit pulled out his tiny radio while flying "This is Megaman Mimic. The Black Refractor is believed to be in Kattlelox Island. Invasion undertaken…" He waited for a response but then got impatient after 10 seconds "Where is that idiot Juno. He is supposed to respond to this situation now. Argh, forget it!" He turned off his radio.

Bass rushed to the toy store, leaving X near the bookstore. "Hmm, maybe I should budget some money for Zero." He said looking for some pocket books, magazines, and other reading materials.

"Whoa! What a cute kitty." Bass yell after seeing a stuff cat. Bass turned top the clerk and asked "How much for the kitty…"

"30 bucks, sir" The clerk answered. Bass immediately paid it without any question. Bass then scrambled for a white teddy bear and bought it for 50 bucks, but he still buy more stuff toys.

X went in the electronic shop where he was greeted by the storeowner. "Good morning, sir! May I help you?" the storeowner said. "Yeah, a gift for a girl…" X replied. "No problem…" the storeowner said as he leaves the counter to assist X.

Blues was walking down cautiously down the mazes of the ruins, making sure he finds the reaverbots first before they do. "I knew I should not spent all my money on arsenal upgrades." He murmured "How am I going to earn enough money for Roll now." 

Walking down deeper, he finds a treasure chess. Crossing his fingers, hoping to find some money or refractor shards inside. He opened it and finds a lot of refractor shards, which worth 2,000 bucks. He picked them up and stored it in his backpack. "Now, better head to the surface." He said.

Just as he turned around, two spider-robots, each the size of a car, dived and blocked his way. He aimed his buster gun only to be caught in surprise that another robot spider from above dived and pinned him. 

"Get off me!" He protested. Blues caught one of the spider's legs, pushed himself up, lift and slams the spider to the two other spiders. Each spider stood back on its 'feet' only to receive firings from Blues' buster gun. The three spiders burst to bits and Blues collected the shards popping out. 

Blues made it out of the room but he was greeted by a lot of other reaverbots, big and small, blocking his way. Blues fired madly against the reaverbots. He took down a dozen of them. Turning around, still firing his buster gun, he took down even more. He walked out of the room calmly.

X and Bass were waiting outside. X had a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates for Roll and a book for Zero. Bass had a flat box gift-wrapped and a bag full of stuffed toys. 

"Bass, you are like Santa Clause with a black attire." X jokes on him. "Anyone can call you the new Santa now."

"Why, I just want to show Roll that I like her." Bass reasoned "I mean, I was able to afford this much so, I… I bought this much"

"Bass, showing your hospitality of her return doesn't mean that you have to buy as much stuff as you can afford. By the way…what's in that gift-wrapped box?"

"Its something special, I won't tell you what it is but it cost me 8,500 buck to buy it." Bass said, holding his gift away from X.

"Let me guess, a tray of jewelry…or a laptop." X sign at Bass' extravagance. *Bass, if you were a millionaire you would buy all of Kattlelox with your habit*

"By the way, where is Blues!?" Bass asked. Before X could say anything, the gate leading to the Ruin opened up and Blues stood out. 

"Where have you been? Why did you end up there." Bass and X interrogated him.

"My pocket was cash dry." Blues said. "And I got to earn some money, so I went down the sewer then to the ruins to do so."

"There is not enough time to shop now." X said. "I mean its 1:30 PM and she is supposed to be here at 1 PM"

"No problem." Blues said, inserting his hand to his pocket and let out a beautiful gold necklace with a shiny red stone (crystal) shaped like a heart. "Tada!" 

X sighed again then two police cars arrived. A police officer came out of his car and dashed towards X and his group.

"X, Bass, Blues, you must all go to uptown." The police officer said

"Yes why?" X asked nervously.

"It's an emergency. Its Barrel…" 

X and Bass dashed leaving behind their gifts. Blues packed up X's gifts into Bass bag full of stuffed toys then he lifted it and followed them towards Apple Market. The police officer didn't even got the slightest chance of letting them into his police car because they were running too fast.


	4. The Invasion

Chapter 3: Counter the invaders

X and Bass hurried to Barrel's house. It was full of police but there were just a few people gathering around, less than 10. As soon as they arrive, X and Bass hastily went inside the house. 

"What happened? Are you alright?" X asked Barrel, who was sitting on a chair in the corner of the living room. Bass approached Timmy.

"I'm alright." Barrel answered.

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure, but Kevin may be hurt."

"X…" The Inspector called for him.

"What is it?" X replied.

"Three armed men wearing black fatigue and gas mask stormed in this house." The Inspector said. "They broke through the door although it was locked. One of the guys threw a sleep gas grenade and the second one grabbed the loot. Kevin, still conscious, resisted by charging the second suspect but the third man overpowered him. Kevin received minor bruises on his abdomen currently because he was hit by the rifle's stock, he said. Afterwards they all went out through the window."

"Where did they go now?" X asked.

"We have dozens of witnesses saying that they were picked up by a helicopter right after they got out of the house and headed westward." The inspector said.

"This is my fault…" Timmy sobs as Bass approach her.

"Why?" Bass asked her, sincerely.

"It's because of me that this treasure came to light." Timmy cried. "It's my fault that this happened."

Kevin stood from his chair and tried to comfort Timmy. "Please, it should be mine, I mean, I brought the refractor here." Kevin said.

"No Kevin, don't try to cheer me up."

"Timmy, girl, please don't blame yourself…" Kevin replied

"Yes, you are otherwise hurting yourself of something you did not really commit" Bass said. Timmy began to shed tears. Bass came closer to hug her, trying to make herself feel better. As Bass approach closer, Timmy ran out of the house weeping and Bass followed her. She ran further until she was already very far from the house, about 50 meters.

"TIMMY, WATCH OUT." Bass shouted as he sees 5-foot long, half-human and half reptile robots with bat's wings stalling towards Timmy. She tried to run but it was too late, even for Bass. One of the machines clutches its claws on Timmy's shoulder and flew her southward. She struggled in vain in the creature's grasp.

"What happened!" Kevin asked as he gets out of the house. Another harpy dived for Kevin but X jumped out of the house, through the window, and pinned down the harpy. Bass pushed Kevin to the ground as the third harpy dives. Bass wrestled and knocked down the harpy just to find out that Kevin was being dragged away like Timmy by a fourth harpy.

The harpy was pinning down X. X kicked the harpy off of him. He took the lid of a nearby trash can and whacked it on the harpy's face. The creature tried to regain focus while X picked up an empty trash can and slam's it of the harpy's head then an uppercut on its chin. X thought it was all over when the harpy was down. 

X tried to come to Bass' aid, who was still fighting a harpy. As X ran, another harpy rams from behind him and crashed X towards a lamppost. X fell unconscious.

Bass outmaneuvers the harpy in his own match. He got a hold on the harpy's head and knocks it against his knee. The harpy flew away as soon as it recovers from the head-aching knee smash. Bass came to X and help him up.

"Are you alright?" Bass asked X.

"Yeah…just some headaches" X replied massaging his head with his fingers

"Hey! You left your stuff!" Blues yelled as he entered the gates of uptown. He ran towards Bass and passed the gifts he was carrying all the way from the Apple Market.

"We don't have time!" Bass yelled, dropping the gift to the ground "We must go to Cardon Forest, those harpies are taking Kevin and Timmy there."

"What! What!" Blues asked as X dashes out of uptown first. Bass got a hold of the scarf tied to Blues' neck and drag him to follow. "Come on!" Bass shouted and they both left the uptown.

"Hurry!" X and Bass urges Blues, who was behind them. They ran as fast as they can to reach Cardon Forest through Downtown and Apple Market. Still far from Apple Market, X and his gang discovered that reaverbots were falling from the sky.

"Scramble!" X shouted and they all ran for cover to nearby buildings.

"Since when did they learn to leave their nest… worse, weapons are not allowed in this city." Bass reasoned

"This is not good. We need our buster guns now or else were dead ducks." Blues complains.

"Forget the rule!" X shouted even louder. "This means war now!"

The harpies dropped Timmy and Kevin a few feet above the ground in a treeless patch in Cardon forest. They stood up to find a Purifier unit staring confidently in front of their flying ship, the Airship, at a distance. The unit had a white cape, black armor and black helmet.

Kevin stood up to get closer to the unit but two harpies got a hold of his arms and shoulders from behind. He shook his hands a bit to have the harpies let go but it did not work. The harpies pushed him down onto his knees. Timmy came closer to Kevin and a harpy caught her left arm and right shoulder and pushed her to the ground to kneel.

"You Are Kevin." The unit said turning around, revealing his 'blank face', to see Kevin and Timmy.

"What do you want? Why are you doing this? Who are you?" Kevin asked angrily.

"Sorry." The unit apologized with a shrug. "I am Megaman Mimic, I don't tolerate resistance and I came here to ask you a few questions because I have a mission here."

"What question is that." Kevin grunted, shaking off the harpies but to no avail.

"The black refractor, where is it?" Mimic Asked putting his face closer to Kevin's.

"I don't have it anymore." Replied Kevin, shaking his head.

"You can't lie right now with this..." Mimic said, shaking his head. He pulled out a controller, pushed its button and beamed a projection showing Timmy and Kevin with the black refractor back at Chalk Hill. "Now what can you say."

"I said I don't have it." Kevin replied angrily, trashing to break free off the harpies' grasp but escape is still futile.

"Perhaps I have to show you just how serious I am." Mimic said angrily. He turned his attention to the Airship. "Is this thing yours…" Turning to Kevin

The seized man did not reply but kept an angry stare at Mimic.

"I believe it is." Mimic let out his palm and fired a beam. 

The one blast broke through the Airship. The ship went ablaze an explosion ripped the ship's bridge. Another explosion tore the ship in a fireball. Smoke went up and pieces of the ship flew in all direction. When the explosions were over, all that was left of the Airship were scrapes and a great fire in its place. 

"Why you…!" Kevin shouted. 

Timmy was so scared, she could only stare in terror to what is going on.

Kevin burst in rage for the destruction of the Airship. He stood up and overpowering the harpies holding him down. Then he charged onto Mimic, trying to wrestle or strangle him with his bare hands. Kevin got a tight grip on Mimic's neck. Mimic, stood still, as though he didn't feel a thing. He kicked one of Kevin's lower legs so hard that it broke. Kevin screamed in pain and Mimic gave him a punch on his abdomen and a hard uppercut onto his chin. Kevin fell onto the ground, bleeding, but he recovered immediately after his fall.

Kevin stood up again in rage despite his broken leg and charged Mimic. He punches' the unit's featureless face but it did not budge. Mimic struck his elbow onto Kevin's bloodied face. Kevin felt dizzy because of his injuries, weakened by trauma and blood lost. He can still fight a little longer though. Mimic got a hold on one of Kevin's shoulder. He let out a beam of laser from his palm, directly hitting and breaking through Kevin's chest. 

"NO…" Timmy shouted in tears as Mimic threw Kevin's lifeless body to the ground several feet away. 

"Now you!" Mimic stared at Timmy. "Where is the black the refractor."

"He spoke the truth!" Timmy cried, while still weeping for Kevin. "The refractor was stolen from this island…" 

Mimic didn't believe in Timmy's statement. He raised his arm at Kevin, threatening to fire.

"No don't shoot, PLEASE!" Timmy begged. 

Mimic did not listen and fired a huge beam. Timmy turned away as the blinding flash of the blast blew whatever was left of Kevin to smoke and fire. Timmy cried and screamed but Megaman Mimic showed no sign of sorrow or anything. 

__

[Backstreet boys, "Larger than Life", Playing]

X, Bass, and Blues were running down the street. Heading towards the Apple Market. Bass stopped, turned around and fired his buster gun onto the pursuing reaverbots. Many of the smaller ones were blown to bits but the larger ones remained intact.

"Bass!" X shouted while running.

"Coming." Bass said as he stops firing and catches up with X and Blues. Just as Bass was back on track, Blues stops and throws a grand grenade onto a huge 'big mouth' machine following them. The tin can blew up. "Yes." Blues cheers to himself and catches up with the rest of the group.

X and his group reached the entrance but it was guarded by a gigantic reaverbot. The reaverbot raises its arms let it down to crush them.

"Hit the deck!" X shouted. He, Bass and Blues jumped in different directions, avoiding the giant's knuckle. X jumped over the reaverbot while firing from above.

"Cover me…" X said to Blues and Bass as he landed.

"You got it." Blues and Bass answered. Blues adjusted his Buster gun at full power. Firing at the street heading north and blow away several reaverbots, big and small, while using his shield to protect himself from small enemy fire and debris.

Bass defended the street leading westward. His buster gun, though it had a slow rate of fire, was so strong. Every reaverbot smaller than a van are blown up in just one shot. 

X fired his buster gun at lightning speed while avoiding the reaverbots crushing arms. X took out his shining laser and after avoiding another attack from the reaverbot, he fired his devastating weapon all over the oversize machine. The reaverbot blew up.

"Come on!" X shouted as he waved his hand to show that it is clear.

"You go alone, we've got to defend this city." Bass said while shooting the reaverbots. X looks at Blues, he was just as busy as Bass. X decided to go to Apple Market and to Cardon Forest alone.

__

[Backstreet Boys, "Larger than life", Ends]

"We are under attack!" X shouted to the people inside Apple Market. Everybody scrambled to the gate towards downtown gate but X blocked it.

"Not in here, the downtown is crawled with reaverbots." X warned "You just… hide in your stores or wherever else safe to hide in this mall. The reaverbots may have also taken over Cardon forest." X wasted no time to get to the gate to Cardon Forest via southern gate. He reached out but discovered that it won't open. 

"Darn it." X said angrily, he returned to the gate towards Downtown but it too won't open. "SHOOT! Now what should I do." X was so mad that he kicked the door but it still won't open.

Roll was steering the Flutter. She was somewhat excited to have a reunion with X, Bass, Blues, her grandfather and the rest of whoever is in Kattlelox. She did not know there is a very severe battle in the island. She looked at her watch and see that it is 2 PM, one hour late from her expected arrival, but she wasn't worried about the time.

As she sees Kattlelox Island at the horizon, she felt really glad that 'home' is near. Steering closer to the island, her happiness was shattered to see that there were explosions and other battle activities clashing all over the island, especially downtown.

"Zero come quick!" she cried. "There is something going on…Kattlelox must be under attack!"

"I know…" Zero respond as she entered the bridge. "This is not good."

"Unwelcome visitors!" Mimic respond, seeing the Flutter coming closer. He floated high into the sky and morph his right arm into a single barrel rocket launcher or a cannon. "Suck this!" He shouted as he fired a missile towards the Flutter.

Roll scream as she steered the Flutter sideward, avoiding the missile. She sighed for relief then she heard a loud explosion from the engine room.

"Roll, the missile U-turned and it hit the engine room." Zero informed her "We will crash if we get hit one more…" Before Zero could finish, the Flutter shook again as another missile hit the left turbine.

"Zero…" Roll cried in fear. "The Flutter is out of control…I mean, it would be impossible to shake another missile now."

Zero chance upon another incoming missile propelling directly into the bridge. "Evacuate!" Zero shouted, grabbing Roll by her wrist as they exited the bridge. Half of a second later, the missile made its impact, the bridge blew up and the Flutter began to lose altitude.

Down below, Mimic watch in pride as he sees the burning Flutter slowly went down to earth above him and towards the east of the Main Gate. Timmy, though she didn't know who was or were in the Flutter, succumbed in grief to see it go down. Then more tears fell from her eyes.

Bass is very busy shooting down as much reaverbots as he could see, and as so as Blues. Bass sees a vending machine, inserts some money, and gets a soft drink. Still, he was busy shooting reaverbots. He suddenly sees another big mouth reaverbot shooting lots of grenades. 

"Want drink?" Bass threw the empty soft drink can into the reaverbots mouth. It stops shooting bombs because the can got tangled in its internal machinery. The big mouth malfunctions, walks around without coordination, crashes into the city wall, and came to a stop for good but it didn't blow up. Bass then went back to his shooting frenzy, taking down a bunch of onion bots hurling grenades and fireballs. 

Blues took down some reaverbots, but still, there was still more coming than he could bring down. He threw a grand grenade and sent every small reaverbot flying in pieces. Blues watch in relief but a canine (Cerebus) bot jumped out of the dust and pinned him down. Blues kicked the gigantic dog off him and he was away running. The dog robot was fast and Blues knew that he could not outrun the beast. He sees a lamppost, jumps on it, wraps his arms on it, spins around, lets go, and kicks the metallic hound by its face. The canine fell near a fire hydrant and Blues shot the fire hydrant. The canine short-circuited with the flowing water, collapses as it ceased to function. 

Bass was pursuit by so many reaverbots that he was now wondering, how did they got so many. He jumped atop of a building, stared at the sky and saw the Flutter burning and going down to the Main Gate or the Old City. Just at the same time, Blues jumped at the other building besides his. 

"Hey Blues, I need a lift to the Old City." Bass called out. "The Flutter is crashing that way."

"Alright!" Blues responds. They both jumped. Bass hopped on Blues' shoulder in mid-air. Bass was reaching high enough to get over the walls of the city when was pushed against something like an invisible shield. Bass restored his balance and landed safely back on downtown. 

"What happened!" Blues asked, coming down to see Bass.

"There is a shield." Bass replied.

"Let's just used the door." Blues said. He rushed to the eastern gate, leading to the old city, Bass was right behind him. Blues inserted his Citizen's I.D. but the door didn't respond.

"Hurry." Bass urges Blues.

"I'm trying…" Blues replied. "It won't open…"

"Definitely it won't…" A purifier unit answered a city block away behind Blues and Bass. He had a white armor and helmet.

"Who are you!" Bass asked angrily, aiming his buster gun at the stranger.

"I am first class purifier unit: Megaman Ion." The unit introduces himself. "And you two are in big trouble…" More reaverbots came, from the sky and elsewhere from downtown. The machines and Ion surrounded Bass and Blues in every angle, except the gate to the Old City.

"We're trapped like rats in the corner." Blues commented.

X decided to climb his way out of the apple market by the roof. He jumped and reached the canopy of one of the stores.

"Here I go" X almost reached the top but fell short. He tried again and just as he reached the top, somebody came crashing from the roof. It sent X falling down back onto the pavement of the market.

"Ouch, what the…" X stood up brushing his back from the painful fall. "Who are you?"

"No." the stranger answered with an evil look from her eyes. He had green and gray armors, green helmet and jack on his left eye. "I am Mimic's general" The unit continued. "…First class purifier unit: Megaman Deadeye."

__

[Apollo 44, "Charlie's Angels Theme", Playing]

Deadeye kicks X. X jumped back and avoided it. Deadeye jumped and gave X a flying thrust kick at mid air. X was sent flying and crashed into the wall to the south, eventually cracking it a bit.

X jumped and pinned down Deadeye and he kicked him off. Deadeye punches X but miss it. X caught his left arm and locked it on his back. Deadeye hits X from behind with his elbow, another elbow strike hit the blue bomber by the face and forcing X to release his arm. Deadeye kicks X on his abdomen. X succumb to the pain and Deadeye grip the back of X's neck. Deadeye sent X's head crashing onto a wall, eventually damaging it badly.

X kicked Deadeye off and fired his shining laser onto him. Deadeye got hit, dead on, and crashed on a nearby trash can. X races down to finish Deadeye, still firing his shining laser. Deadeye managed to jump away from the laser, bounces to the wall with his feet, and punches X while in the air. X crashes into a shelf inside an open bookstore. 

Deadeye hastily approached X from the rubble but can't find him. Deadeye came closer and he sees a huge poster of a naked lady from a pornographic magazine. He pause to stare at the poster when suddenly a small missile broke through the picture and hit him dead-on. X crashed down to finished Deadeye. To no avail, Deadeye easily got up from the missile attack and gave X karate chop. X raised his arm, blocking the attack, but he felt that his arm's armor was slightly damaged.

X and Deadeye fought all over the pavement of the Apple Market until they reach the southern part of Apple Market, near the electronic shop. X kept raising his arms to block Deadeye's kicks and punches, each were incredibly strong that X felt that he will surely wore down if he takes more any longer.

X was getting tired, Deadeye sure is tough. Deadeye turned around, and gave X a very strong thrust kick that it broke through X's blocking defensive arms. X was sent flying and spinning in the air before his face smacks the ground. 

"Have another trip…" Deadeye grabs X's wrist and neck, lift him up like a barrel and threw him into the electronic shop by its glass window. 

Deadeye went in the electronic shop, grabs a toaster and whacks X's head with a toaster. X caught the toaster and punches Deadeye at the face. Deadeye retreated, grabs a twenty-one inch TV, and races to slam it onto X. X jumps, grabs on the store's hanging air condition pipeline, and struck Deadeye's hands, and pushes down the TV onto Deadeye's head using his feet. The TV got stuck on Deadeye's head and X plugged the TV's cord into an outlet. Deadeye shook as electricity rocked his circuits. Finally, after several electric bursts, Deadeye fell knee first then face down.

__

[Apollo 44, "Charlie's Angels Theme." Ends]

X walked out of the store calmly. As soon as he nears the gate, Deadeye stood up, bursting at blazing speed. Deadeye pinned X on his back. He squeeze X's neck, commando style, so hard that X felt his circuits almost going out.

__

[Apollo 44, "Charlie's Angels Theme." Playing]

"Had enough!?" Deadeye asked sadistically as he tightens his grip on X.

"You're…just…so…. Persistent…" X gasped as he pulled out his blade arm and stabbed it onto Deadeye's knee, down his leg and out his heels. Deadeye let go of X to comfort his pain only to be hit in the eye by the shining saber. Blinded and crippled, Deadeye retreated and X began charging up both his shining laser and his buster gun at maximum level.

Deadeye had barely recovered when X finished his charge and fired madly from his buster gun and his shining laser, pushing Deadeye at full force towards the southern gate. After almost a minute of fierce shelling, X ceased fire and started breathing hard in exhaustion. No one can stay at one piece at that much punishment.

__

[Apollo 44, "Charlie's Angels Theme." Ends]

When the dust cleared, X sees Deadeye still standing but in miserable shape; his armor was badly damaged and his helmet was cracked. Unbelievably, Deadeye is still in one piece. 

"This not over yet…" Deadeye said. "My backup files will bring me back." Deadeye gave a grim grin X. X somehow didn't understand what he means of backup files. Deadeye went limp and fell to the ground face first. X let out a sigh of relief that Deadeye is gone. He was still wondering how the others were doing outside Apple Market.

X tried to climb the walls to leave the market for the forest. He could barely climb one of the store's canopies. Just when he grabbed on the canopy, he lost his grip and fell back on the pavement. X tried moving his left arm and it hurts.

"Man…" X frowns. "What am I going to do now…"

Bass and Blues separated as they tried to defend themselves rather than defending the city. Reaverbots are everywhere and they just keep on coming down from the sky. To make matters worse, Ion began shooting them like running rats for a target practice.

Their battle littered the town so much that the whole downtown area was deluged with metallic scraps and building debris.

"Bass, do you have a feeling that these reaverbots are coming from the sky…" Blues asked while looking high above.

"What the heck are you talking about!" Bass replied in a doubtful tone.

"Look up there…" Blues pointed to the sky.

Bass stared at the sky while running with Blues. He could see hundreds of reaverbots being dropped from gigantic capsules but they are so high they all look so small "(Sigh) How the hell are we going to take them down! They're so high up. I mean, those giant brown vitamin tablet are as small as your morning tablets from here"

Blues and Bass bump their faces against a pillar for staring at the sky instead of watching where they were going. The force of their impact forced them to fall on their butts a few feet. They gazed up to find out that they hit the legs of a 100-footer reaverbot.

"Look out!" Bass yelled as the huge reaverbot raised its leg to stump them. 

The force of the metallic giant's foot sent shock waves over downtown, blowing away Blues for some distance. They were able to avoid being crushed but still they sustain some damages from the shock wave. The shock wave also brought some fogs because of the scattered debris the reaverbot had just stepped on. So thick that it was impossible so see anything but dirt.

"Bass!" Blues called out, hoping that his partner wasn't splat yet. He still couldn't see anything then he could see a dark spot, thinking it was Bass. Half of a second later then did he realized when it was all too late, it was the reaverbot's arm. Blues was hit so hard he was sent flying off the smog where he was to the rooftop of a nearby house.

Bass lay stuck piled underneath a slab large enough to cover a motorcycle, so heavy he could hardly get himself out. After pushing it off, he wondered what happened to Blues since the fog also covered his vision. As the dust faded, he found out that the same giant robot had been waiting for him.

The building-size machine swings his foot. Bass easily dodged it and countered with a shock wave of his own from his Forte buster. The shot seem to only budge the giant as it was hit at the belly.

Bass ran since the reaverbot's size showed that he couldn't take down that thing in a shootout style. The reaverbot followed him running too. As he ran, he continued shooting it hoping to find some weak spot or to wear it down slowly.

Blues woke up from the rooftop of a house, dizzy. He was about to think why he ends up there, partly because the impact of the reaverbot's titanic fist gave him a hangover. Just as he could restore his focus, he saw a white unit on top of another building across the street.

"Ion…" Blues said, in a fainting tone.

"Well, nightmares in a daydream eh!" the unit taunts. "I think that is just the teaser."

"Where's Bass!" Blues demand.

"Him…well he's on a bug hunt with a giant. That is, he's the bug!" Ion remarks leaping off the building. 

He landed right behind Blues, turned around and kicked. Blues crouch, dodged the attack, leaped high and fired a beam from his buster towards Ion. Ion jumped just in time to avoid Blues' laser.

"Its all over!!!" Ion announces as he leaped to crash onto Blues. Blues picked up a bag of cement and threw it onto Ion. Ion shot at the cement bag, resulting into forming a cloud of 'dust' that blinded his sights. Before the blinding smog could clear, Ion saw a bight light from within, which turned out to be a laser from Blues.

The laser struck Ion and he fell into the streets from high above, making his fall so hard he got knocked out.

"Blues!" Bass called out. "Aim at the giant's head. It's his weakness!" Blues followed Bass as they leaped from building to building, finding the best spot to shoot. At the same time, the 100-footer metal continued its relentless pursuit on them.

"Here. (Perfect place to flat Ion)" Blues signaled

"Ready…Fire!" Bass yelled as they both fired their buster guns simultaneously at the head of the giant robot. It got hit so hard that it went ceases its chase for a second then recovered.

"Fire two!" Blues ordered as they again shot the giant with an even bigger 'beams'. The giant's head remained intact after impact but its eye shut down and it started to fall.

Down below, Ion was just starting to get up when he suddenly noticed that the giant metalloid is falling right above him, and its too late to run. Ion screamed in fright as it falls and slams him flat like a puny insect.

"Alright!" Blues and Bass cheered after bringing down their gigantic adversary. They leaped and gave each other a 'high five'. Their cheers went dim when they saw the laying giant started shaking.

"Get off me you oversized piece of scrap!" Ion's complaining voice came from underneath. Unbelievably, Ion lifted the enormous robot off him. He turned around and sees both Blues and Bass stunned and still. Ion gave them a very grim and horrific look with his face crumpling more than raisins. 

"You will pay big time for this…" Ion warns "And I mean really BIG!" Ion grin and growl like an animal as he tensed himself. 

Suddenly, his entire body started shaking and growing. His muscles became more profound as his armor started to change shape as his body started growing slightly in size but greatly in circumference. Then nerves started bulging from all over his body.

Bass and Blues watched in horror as they witness Ion's hulk-like transformation. When it was all over, Ion took one deep breath and tensed his right arm for a moment to see his new muscular body. Strangely, his armor was flexible enough and didn't tear apart as his body changes and enlarges.

"Ready or not…" Ion said softly "HERE I COME!" Ion charges at speeds so fast neither Bass nor Blues could anticipate. Ion struck Blues with an uppercut, sending him flying over the walls, where Blues struck the invisible shields then fell onto the ground hard.

Bass shot Ion at point blank range with his forte buster but it was only good enough to push Ion for a few feet.

"Is that all you got?" Ion taunted and charged at Bass so quickly, Ion already caught his leg and threw him into the air and onto the nearby buildings. 

Bass tried to get up as fast as he could from the rubble but Ion was already there. He caught Bass and slammed him back and forth for over ten times before throwing him back into the air. 

Bass landed into the streets much harder than Blues earlier. He could barely opened his eyes when Ion dived into him, butts first, onto his belly. Bass screamed in pain as the mad 'gorilla' beat him up.

"I'll teach you some more MANNERS!" Ion grunted, squeezing Bass neck as to pop his head off.

The sun was setting and the sky was red and was getting darker. Zero came closer to the area where Mimic and his harpies were holding Timmy as a prisoner. Roll followed him while holding Data.

"You stay here…" Zero told Roll. "Its safer here. That guy got some company with him."

Roll stayed behind with Data. Zero tried to get closer by using the trees of the forest to get to the clear area where Mimic was interrogating Timmy. Mimic then turned his attention to the bushes. Zero felt that he was watched, despite his confidence on his hiding tactic.

"I know that you're hiding there, stranger." Mimic called out. Zero slowly came out of the bushes and tall grasses.

*Shoot, how did he find me here…* Zero thought angrily. He couldn't believe that someone could foil his plan, especially if the one who did it doesn't have any eyes.

"Get him!" Mimic ordered some of his harpies to get Zero. Zero pulled out his light saber, colored yellow, and the harpies were torn to pieces before they knew it. All Timmy could see was a single slash but it was actually over twenty slashes done in a tenth of a second or less time.

"Looks like those harpies are no match for you." Mimic said, taking his cape off and pulled out his own light saber, it was colored blue. 

"Who are you? Show me your skill." Zero told Mimic. "If you think you are so good."

"I am Special Force unit number 7, Megaman Mimic." Mimic answered. "You're request GRANTED!" Mimic slashed his sword in the wind and carved out a flat, parabolic wave of energy heading toward Zero. Zero quickly raised his saber and saved him from the incoming sonic slash.

Darkness was approaching fast. There was a very small 'crescent' left of the sun at the horizon. A while later, the sun completely disappeared as it set and night falls upon Kattlelox.

__

["Mortal Kombat Theme (Instrumental only)", Playing]

Zero and Mimic were facing each other at a distance of about twenty meters. Zero's eyes, reflecting Mimic and his light saber, tensed in anger as he concentrates for the battle. He is taking a backward stance with his light saber pointing diagonally to the left of Mimic. Mimic was somewhat confident, he was standing still and upright. He pointed his light saber downward. His metallic, shiny, bare face cast Zero like a mirror. 

Zero tightens the grip of his light saber, shouts in rage, and charges first, pointing the saber's tip towards Mimic. Mimic immediately followed up, dragging and scratching his saber's 'blades' on the ground. 

Zero and Mimic clash their light sabers. Mimic slashed but Zero's figure was gone. Zero dive and slash at Mimic but he too was gone.

Zero paused for a half second as he loses Mimic's presence. Then Zero noticed something very fast, as quick as lightning, was going towards him. He quickly launches himself to the sky. Less than a second later, he saw that the spot where he last was on the ground vaporized (but not by an explosion). 

Zero landed back on the ground. He cannot sense Mimic anywhere. Then just when he thought that Mimic must have fled the battle, or so, he saw some debris (earth) flying. The debris moved like a raging snake. He could not figure who or what is doing it. For him, whoever, if it were Mimic, was doing so must be either invisible or moving at a very high speed that light may not have a change to reflect at its surface. Zero jumped back and charged against the raging adversary, bursting clouds of dust as they collided.

Zero, thanks to his powerful saber, pushed and blows back the mysterious 'rage'. Zero finally found Mimic, exhausted and panting. 

"Is that all you got?" Zero asked with an arrogant slang.

"No…I think I have even more." Mimic replied confidently.

Mimic raised his saber and a blue lightning came down, Zero barely missed the strike of the blue thunder. Zero got back on his feet, lunged to battle Mimic while avoiding the lightning strikes from the sky. 

"I got you now!" Zero thrust closer and closer to Mimic. But when he got too close, Zero was greeted by dozens of lightning surrounding Mimic. Zero was launched a hundred feet away from Mimic before crashing to the ground. He hit the ground so hard that it patched the surface he landed bared of grass.

Zero opened his eyes as he recovers almost as immediately as he was countered. He didn't, however, have the time to recover completely his energy when another lightning came down to strike at him. Zero noticed that he had lost his mechanical light saber so he formed his hand into a fist and pulled out his spiritual light saber again and used it as a shield. It worked well the incoming lightning was easily blocked and absorbed by his spiritual sword. 

Zero got up, and raced towards Mimic while scratching the tip of his sword on the ground. Mimic was still shooting lightning to hit Zero. However, Zero was much faster this time that most the lightning weren't fast enough to hit him and those who hit him fell short of stopping or even slowing him down. 

Zero was getting too close that Mimic had, again, to summon dozens of lightning around him. Every lightning Mimic used to protect himself was unable to do anything to Zero.

"Arial" Zero shouts as he performed his technique. Zero slashed his sword five times but it was so fast that it was more like five slashes done at once, even for Zero. Mimic saw this and at the last remaining possible time, raised his sword to block it. When Zero's slashes hit Mimic's blocking sword, a huge flash followed by a loud 'Bang' came and Mimic was sent flying in flames. (This flame, though it appears like fire, is not really fire, it was rather spiritual energy but just as destructive as natural fire.) Mimic's red-hot figure was moving so fast that it destroyed a nearby hill as it crashed to it like a bullet from a firearm hitting a mount of dirt. 

Just as Mimic crashed to the hill, Zero took one deep breath. He isn't sure if Mimic is still alive. The dust hasn't completely cleared yet then suddenly Zero saw Mimic jumping out of the bulldozed hill. Mimic was still red hot and as soon as he got to his highest altitude of his jump, at 200 feet, he slashed his sword vertically towards Zero. Mimic let out a huge tornado made of white rays of light. 

Zero made a long backward jump to his side. He evaded the tornado but noticed that he sustained some scratches to his armor. With that observance, Zero noticed that the tornado itself is equally dangerous and destructive as a light saber but at a much larger scale.

Mimic landed on the ground, feet first. He made another slash and out comes another tornado swirling horizontally instead of the 'natural' tornado that stood vertically. 

Zero jumped up in the air to avoid the tornado. As he landed back on the ground, He faced the raging the Mimic, this time with two light sabers. Zero tried to block the attacks of Mimic light sabers. Zero was outmatched because his adversary had two light sabers and he only had one. 

Mimic made more slashes of his sabers. Zero blocked one slash but unable to block the uppercut strike of the other sword. Zero jumped back to avoid it. Mimic made an 'X' swing of his two sabers and summons two tornadoes spiraling at each other.

This time, the tornadoes had vacuums winds and Zero can't get away for being too close to them – at twenty feet. It is now impossible to escape for Zero, worse the helical tornado of doom is fast approaching him.

"Battalion Charge!" Zero thrust toward the tornado at blazing speed, hoping he could strike at them hard enough to break the tornado or go through them to hit Mimic. Zero was thrusting so fast and at energy so intense that yellow flame-like 'chi' is surrounding him as he move on his rage. As he and the helix collided, thing end up in a great explosion. The blast was so strong nearby trees were sent flying into the sky, carved out a crater about 25 feet in diameter and it was loud enough to be heard in almost every corner of the island.

Before Mimic or anyone could find out what happened after the explosion, Zero lunged from the shrouds of dust and raging towards Mimic. Zero was somewhat bruised as Mimic could see, making him more confident. As Zero got close enough, Mimic raised one of his swords and a huge tornado surrounded Mimic. Zero was sucked up by the tornado, sent him flying to the air for half of a mile before Mimic stopped the tornado. Zero was so dizzy he could not land well as he fall and crashed hard on the ground with his shoulder.

At first, Zero could hardly get up or even get his focus right. Soon he did, Zero jump as high as he could, and seem to prepare an air attack on Mimic. Mimic raised his sword again and summons a tornado at his saber's handle instead of a light saber. Zero glided into the tornado's funnel.

Zero concentrates and intensifies his energy while in the tornado. "Nine Dragon Head Strike – Battalion Charge Combo!"

A huge energy surrounds Zero inside the tunnel racing downward like a fast-moving bullet racing on the rifle's barrel. Mimic swirl his sword to make it harder for Zero to get around the funnel then he narrowed the tornado to stop him, but there was no avail to his counter attacks. When Zero was half way from the funnel's entrance to Mimic, the tornado died out since it was force too much to close yet unable to stop Zero. Mimic slashed his two swords together and summons the two tornadoes spiraling at each other and coming towards Zero. As the tornadoes struck Zero, their spiral bond broke and both tornadoes were sent into the sky apart. In the last effort of self-defense, Mimic sealed himself in a thick layer of whirling winds and raining lightning. 

Zero, now appearing as a he yellow glowing ball, crashed into Mimic. The lightning and the tornado shields of Mimic couldn't stop Zero. Zero crashed and struck Mimic with 9 slashes at a time in 9 angles. Mimic blew up in another more ear-deafening explosion. The explosion rocked the entire island and bored a crater over a hundred feet wide and twenty feet deep.

__

["Mortal Kombat Theme (instrumental only)", End]

As the dust settled, Zero was breathing. He was exhausted from his battle against Mimic. He went closer to the crater to see if Mimic was still alive or was he incinerated. As Zero looked around, he couldn't find Mimic. Just when he thinks it is all over, Zero turned to save Timmy from the harpies.

"Give it up!" Came the voice of Mimic. Zero searched and saw Mimic standing in front of Timmy. He was holding the same light sabers and was a little bruised.

Zero was intimidated and he was about to resume battle.

"If you don't surrender…" Mimic cautions as some harpies dragged Roll and Data out of the bushes for Zero to see. "Your friend's going get it!" Mimic pointed out. 

"I'm sorry Zero…" Roll apologizes. She felt that she made a terrible mistake for getting caught.

Mimic let go of his light saber; morphed his arm into an attached mini-bazooka or cannon, and pointed its barrel to Roll. 

"Don't hurt her!" Timmy said. "Its me that you want…"

"Thank you for volunteering." Mimic replied with a slang of appreciation. He grabbed Timmy by her shirt and clutched her in a commando grip. Mimic pointed the barrel of his cannon arm onto Timmy. "Surrender now or she gets it." Mimic ordered while energizing his cannon to shoot at Timmy in case Zero doesn't comply.

Zero sheathed his spiritual saber and stood still. Mimic then turned his cannon and shoots it at Zero. Zero had a chance to get away, and even move away from the shooting of Mimic's cannon. But he didn't. That's because he knew that if he does anything unfavorable to Mimic, the hostages' lives will be in greater danger.

Zero received the firing dead on and got stun. His armor was damaged. He tried to get up but with previous damages from his battle with Mimic made it impossible to recover.

"No…!" Timmy shrugged from Mimic after seeing what he did to Zero. But to no avail, Mimic's grip is so firm that it's just not possible to escape. Yet she didn't stop struggling to break free.

"That is just the teaser. You haven't got the real one yet." Mimic taunted. He energized his weapon again but this time it was a much longer phase. A ball of light was then forming at the tip of the cannon's barrel. It grew larger until it was the size of a car.

"See you in scraps…" Mimic hissed. Just before he was going to shoot, Timmy raised her legs and pushed the cannon. The huge ball of energy missed Zero because of Timmy's intervention and it hit the unused wall outside the apple market. The shot destroyed the wall and the pieces were flying all over the forest proceeded by a strong wind.

"Why you little…!" Mimic got enraged. He let go of Timmy where two harpies held her. Mimic punched her so hard (in term of human strength) at her abdomen that Timmy fainted. The harpies released her as soon as she fainted.

"This is the farthest you can get! I'll mangle you with this" Mimic raised his light saber, apparently to jab at Timmy in her sleep. Just when he was about to thrust his saber, a force from shotgun pellets stunned him.

He turned around and sees X shooting his shining laser, directly hitting Mimic and pushing him far into the masses of trees. X blasted his buster gun and his shining laser onto the harpies. Several harpies received critical damages. The surviving harpies ducked as X dashes to the forest to go after Mimic. 

The remaining harpies scrambled to seize back Timmy, Roll and Data. Before they could do so, Drone came out and started firing his shotgun onto the harpies. The harpies turned their attention onto Drone but they were no match for him and his shotgun. Some got near enough but Drone easily whack them with his shotgun. Another harpies got so close but Drone thrust his barrel onto its mouth, fired his gun, and blew its head off.

With all his bullets run dry, Drone dropped the shotgun and pulled out a pair of 9mm pistol. The last of the harpies fell after Drone emptied his first clips.

Mimic could barely get up with his injuries. X apparently had partially melted his armor and burned part of his shoulder. Then he started to stand on his knees.

"Hold it!" X ordered as he pointed his buster gun onto Mimic.

Mimic ignored X's warning and stood on his feet then Zero appeared from behind him. Zero pointed his light saber onto Mimic as a warning that if he runs, the saber's tip will pluck him.

Seeing that it is an almost checkmate situation, he stared at the sky to think of a decision to make. In shock, large orange lasers were firing from the sky towards the floating giant capsules carrying his troops. Yes! Only Carnage could shoot such huge laser beams! And he's destroying the air carrier!

With that Mimic felt fear. X and Zero could even see him trembling as he stopped and continuously watched the fireworks.

"Evacuate all troops!" Mimic said hastily and nervously in his radio by his wrist before X or Zero could say anything otherwise. Knowing that Mimic had given up, X and Zero lowered their weapons then Mimic fled then burst at high speed, leaving Kattlelox due east with some of his troops.

"You're not so strong as I thought…ha" Ion laugh, still inside downtown and still in his incredibly muscular and heavy-built body, as he watches Blues and Bass laying motionless on the ground. Much of downtown's buildings were razed into the ground, with only a few heavily damaged ones still standing.

"Then let me give YOU a real challenge!" A voice came from behind Ion. He turned around and saw Carnage, standing still with his arms folded on his chest.

"Didn't Mimic ordered an evacuation, that is – the abortion of this so called operation of yours" Carnage grinned. 

Ion turned. "Who cares of an evacuation, if I beat you, I will be even greater than Mimic himself. So prepare yourself!" Ion dashed and punched Carnage dead center at the face. Unbelievably Carnage stood unharmed despite the tremendous impact of Ion's fist.

"This is very embarrassing but true, despite your macho body, your strength bear no fruit." Carnage turned around and applied a reversed dragon-tail-whip kick, striking Ion's chin so hard that Ion was launched up over the walls and struck the shields above the walls much harder than Blues or Bass that a lightning spark was bright enough to be seen in the entire city.

Ion slowly got up shortly after his fall then sees Carnage marching slowly towards him. Ion noticed that the shield cause burns on his back and his lower jaw was almost dislocated. That is where he noticed that Carnage's kick was much stronger than Mimic had warned him earlier that day.

"Well, need another warm up or what?" Carnage asked him in a very disrespectful manner.

Ion fired a laser from his palm, like X's shining laser, striking onto Carnage. Ion was shock to see that it was ineffective against Carnage. In fact, the laser isn't even strong enough for Carnage to budge. 

Realizing just how strong the aberrant unit is, Ion was overcome by his fear of Carnage that he didn't noticed that Carnage was just a step away from him now. Carnage caught Ion's firing palm, his grip was so hard that it crushed Ion's palm.

"It's my turn now." Carnage warns, holding Ion's crushed hand and throwing him above the north gate of downtown faster than a bullet travelling after being fired from a gun. Just a few feet before impact, Carnage appeared in front of him and gave him an uppercut, sending him up into the air. At five hundred feet or so Carnage appeared again and stuck Ion's back with a 'double hand axe.' Ion was falling quickly onto the ground and Carnage caught him before he could crash and carried him into the air.

"You're not worthy for the ground." Carnage declares as he got a hold on Ion's neck. "This is where you're supposed to be into…" 

Carnage carried Ion and choke-slam him to the shields above the wall. The shield counteracted by pushing Ion off but Carnage held on his grip, pushing Ion harder into the shield. Carnage pushed Ion harder as the shield pushes Ion away, causing a massive glow. Ion tried to get it loses but he couldn't. Carnage's grip is stronger than steel and he keeps on tightening it as he pushes against the shield. The green glow of the shield intensifies that it could be seen flashing from outside the island. Finally, short circuit took its toll and the shield explodes then it ceased.

"Worn out already?" Carnage dropped Ion. His body shrank back to its original form as he landed. Carnage didn't chose a good place to land on; as Ion tried to move, he noticed that a long sharp metal had pluck through his chest. Carnage descended slowly walking around Ion in a circle before kicking the pointy metal, causing it to curve in a 90-degree angle on that had blown a hole on Ion's chest. Ion screams in pain.

"You scream like a girl." Carnage commented, stomping onto Ion's metal-pierced chest, causing more damage. So much pain yet so much more exhausted that Ion could only tremble a bit with his mouth open before losing all his senses altogether as Carnage slowly floated upward then flew towards east before anyone could enter downtown.


	5. Wages of hate

Chapter 4: Wages of Hate 

Much of the reaverbots left and every harpies were lying dead in the grounds of Cardon forest. It was night but it was getting a bit bright because of the approaching dawn. Drone came untying the ropes wrapped around the arms of Roll, Data, and Timmy after sheathing his guns he used to blow on the hostage-taking harpies full of holes. First freeing Data, then Roll, last Timmy.

"Alright there, girl" Drone said, while untying the ropes around Timmy "This place is unsafe." Tapping his hand against Timmy's shoulder gently.

"She may be traumatized." Roll commented. 

"I know Blondie…" Drone snorted. He lifted Timmy off the ground and carried her like a bride. "But I don't know just how 'traumatized she is for 'losing.'"

"My name is Roll." she stated

"Nice to met you ma'am, I am Drone." he introduced himself.

"Hey guys." X called out as he stepped out of the bushes, waiving his arm, notifying their location. "The invading reaverbots had left." Zero stated, following X out of the bushes

"Megaman! Zero!" Roll greeted running towards and hugging X and Zero.

"Hey. Sorry to break the reunion but…" Drone interrupted. "Lets get-out-ta here; Tim may need some serious treatment. I don't wanna wait til she runs out of breath." 

"OK, lets go." Roll answered, lifting Data off the ground. With that, every one of the walked towards the city, Roll led the way followed by Drone, lifting Timmy on his arms, then X and Zero.

Things went fine until they reached Downtown. The place was nearly leveled to the ground, only a few foundations remained intact or barely standing. X was so shocked that this happened and he was worried about Bass and Blues.

"BLUES, BASS, WHERE ARE YOU!" X called out, shouting at the top of his voice.

"WE'RE RIGHT HERE!" a familiar voice came out. It echoed throughout Downtown.

"Led them to the hospital Roll…" X asked "Zero and I will find them…" With that, everyone headed towards Uptown except X and Zero

X raced frantically throughout Downtown with Zero. It was somewhat difficult for X, not because he can't find them but with the fact that Downtown was badly devastated. He thought that someone must have been killed with such a massive attack inflicted on a peaceful island. Zero, somehow, find this pretty normal because of his nature. He was not worried of the deaths or so.

"WHERE ARE YOU GUYS!" X called out again.

"X, Blues is here…" Zero called for X. Blues was under a huge concrete slab that covered his entire body but his head.

"Coming…" X replied, racing to assist Zero

"Let's push this slab off…" Zero ordered.

"Right!" X answered promptly. They pushed the huge weight pinning Blues.

"Are you alright?" X asked Blues

"Uh, yes. That hurts…" Blues gasp. X placed one of Blue's arms over the back of his neck to allow Blues to walk.

"Where's Bass?" Zero asked Blues

"I'm right here already." Bass came upright, walking towards X and Zero.

"You're alright!" X greeted him.

"You're slow." Bass taunted them.

"Who did this? What happened?" Zero asked.

"Someone who called himself, Megaman Ion." Bass answered.

"Who!?" X sound confused.

"You tell him…" Bass told Blues.

"Ion was a guy in white armor." Blues answered "He claimed to be 'Mimic's' subordinate."

"Hey you're alright…" X caught Blues pretending

"You win, but my legs still hurts…" Blues gave his excuse.

"He did this…?" Zero asked

"Must you have to ask everything!?!" Bass growl.

"What's that." X points out, seeing someone in white in a distance behind Bass.

"That's Ion." Bass answered as he turned around "He's probably beaten up by somebody." 

"We've got to help him." X said, passing Blues to Zero then racing towards Ion. Bass followed then Zero with Blues on his back.

"Are you alright?" X whispered onto Ion.

"Carnage, he's gone…" Ion gasped.

"What's wrong with you X?" Bass complained as he reached for him.

"He said 'carnage' right" X sound confused "Who is this 'carnage'"

"Beats me…" Bass replied "I don't know!"

"X…" Ion tried to speak.

"Yes, why did you came here and all these reaverbots?" X demanded as Zero and Blues reached the scene.

"We came here… for the Black Refractor…" Ion let out a soft, almost inaudible tone.

"Why?" Bass inquired.

"The Black Refractor used to seal Carnage." Ion answered, losing his breath as he talks. "Mimic told us to leave but I doubt the Black Refractor was recovered…"

"That stuff was stolen from this island shortly after it was brought here." Bass answered sarcastically

"You must get it back to where you got it before Carnage do…" Ion gasped again.

"Who is Carnage?" Zero asked

"A discharge unit, Special force number 2: Megaman Carnage, as he is known…" Ion gasp. "Megaman Mimic told me end everyone of his troops to leave and I stayed."

"How did you end up like this?" X asked

"I stayed because I want to fight Carnage…" Ion continued "And he beat me right here…uh"

"Ion, let's get you to repair…" X said "There may still be hopes of recovery, you could help us get the black refractor back and fulfill your mission."

"ARE YOU CRAZY…!" Bass growl.

"Its no use…" Ion gasped "I'm not gonna make it…ugh…"

"Ion, ION!" X called out, tapping Ion's shoulder. There was no response.

"He's gone, like he just shut himself down." Zero said. 

X just closed Ion's eyes with his fingers "May you rest in peace…" X sighed 

"Well. X, you haven't got it yet eh!" Bass snapped, closing his eyes

"Bass…" X approaches him "What's wrong, you acted differently since I got here."

Bass opened his eyes. Both were red and had a cold look onto X. Zero and Blues also saw it and they were horrified.

"You are weird," Bass hissed with his red but cold eyes "helping an enemy…an enemy that had razed your beloved home. THEN YOU WILL HELP HIM!!!"

"You're not Bass, who are you" X demanded

"I am Bass." Bass stated "It's who is talking that is NOT!"

"Let Bass go…" X pointed his buster gun onto 'Bass'

"You wouldn't do that to your 'Bass'" The possessor of Bass taunted. "I am Megaman Carnage, so I would disappoint you asking."

"What do you want!" X growl. Zero's mad and pulled out his light saber.

"I have to make sure that Ion is a sure dead" Carnage spoke through Bass "And I also had an appointment regarding the stolen Black Refractor."

"So!" Zero snapped.

"I have to make sure Ion dies here with some 'message' that is…" Carnage paused "And make sure none of Mimic's troops remained here."

"You're after the Black Refractor too, right?" X inquired

"Exactly, and I couldn't waste any time for that." Carnage goes on. "I better hand over Bass back to ya, I too don't wanna disappoint you. And one more thing, I will be back here sooner than later; just 'when you go after Timmy into the forest' in this very island." 'Bass' closed his eyes and he fainted. X caught him before he could fall.

"Bass…you alright?" X asked

"I felt dizzy" Bass replied while trying to get onto his feet. "Was Carnage here…?"

"He was here alright." X replied

"Lets go to the hospital and meet up with Roll and the others…" Zero stated.

X, Zero, Bass and Blues went towards Uptown. X, somewhat disturbed by the sight of the Downtown's wreckage, fell behind the rest. He had in his mind that Carnage must be a very serious "convict" or so and was sealed for some time using the Black refractor brought here.

They were surprise to see that the Uptown was virtually undamaged. Nearly every building was intact.

"There it is!" Bass pointed out, rushing and picking up his bag he left almost a day ago.

"There you are!" Barrel called out as he stepped out of his house.

"You're alright!" X, Zero, Bass, and Blues greet him.

"You better see Timmy at the hospital!" Barrel instructed them "Roll and Data are there."

"But what about you?" X asked

"Its alright, everything will be alright for now." Barrel replied.

"We better see her…" Zero advised them. "I'll take care of Blues!"

"Ok!" X answered rushing to the hospital, followed by Bass carrying the bag full of stuff. Bass, despite the huge bag on his back, manage to outrun X.

"See you later…!" Blues called out.

"Is she alright?" Roll asked as the doctor exited the room.

"She'll be fine." The doctor replied "She is just in shock and some emotional exhaustion. All she need is some rest."

"Roll!" Bass greets as he approaches Roll. Bass hugged her and she hugged back.

"So glad that you're alright too!" Roll replied. "Where's Blues?"

"He's with Zero." X answered as he entered the hospital "Probably inside Barrel's house."

"How's Timmy?" X asked.

"She needs some rest." Roll answered then turned to the doctor. "Can we see the patient."

"Of course." The doctor replied.

Roll rushed to the room. Bass followed, still carrying the bag full of toys and stuff, then X.

The room was solemn white. Timmy was sleeping in bed and Drone sat on a chair beside her.

Roll, Bass and X gathered around her. They seem a bit concern though they had just met this frightened girl less than a day ago.

"She will be alright, just as the doctor said" Drone ensured them.

"We're sorry for this" X held Timmy's hand.

"She is still exhausted, she can't hear you." The doctor said

"I'll watch her, please…" Drone asked, "perhaps the people of the island may need your help out there."

"Alright." Bass replied as they left the room. Drone stayed behind, as the window projects the sun's ray from dawn to morning.

"Roll, Bass, X" Barrel called for them at the waiting room as they had just left Timmy's room earlier.

"Timmy will be alright." Roll said

"The inspector just had an initial report on the island…" Barrel said.

"Report…?" X sound confused "What does it say…"

"He said that the cost of damages and repairs will cost the island at least 500 million Zenny."

"W-Wh-What!" Bass yelled, in shock

"That is just initial, things could get even worse." Barrel said

Tron and Teisel and two servebots also entered the hospital. Rather than arrogant, they also had a sincere look on their faces.

"Tron, Teisel" X sound surprise "What are you doing here."

"We heard of a horrible attack on this island." Tron said, sounding even more sorry.

"Yeah, they were after the black refractor." X said

"Huh!" Barrel sound shock. "How did you know"

"A dying unit named Ion said it." X stated "He said it was used to seal Megaman Carnage."

Barrel was so shock, he felt his chest aching. He stood still and like he had seen a monster.

"Gramps, Are you alright." Roll rushed to her grandfather's aid. Holding him so that he won't fall.

"Who?" Teisel sound confused

"It has come to pass…" Barrel sigh.

"Did you actually know Megaman Carnage?" X asked.

Barrel nod "I do…And I should have paid more attention much earlier."

"The helicopter's too slow!" A thug commented as he holds the black refractor.

"Like do you know any other way of transportation?" another thug complained

They directed the helicopter and landed on the island just large enough for the helicopter to land on.

"The engine's overheating…!" a thug called out

"Looks like things has got to wait."

Just as the three of them got off, two purifier units waited outside and their buster gun aimed at the thugs. One was colored violet and the other was yellow.

"Surrender!" The violet unit demanded.

The thugs just pulled their own guns and started shooting. None of the bullets made it; all fell short of even scratching their armor.

The violet unit delivered two shots, knocking out two thugs. The yellow unit took down the third with an electrical shock from his buster gun.

"Search the chopper." The violet unit ordered. The yellow unit rushed into the helicopter. Within a moment, he got out.

"Let's get out of here." The yellow unit said out with the black refractor on his hand. The violet unit turned around, set his buster gun to maximum, and shot a plasma bullet incinerating the chopper together with most of the tiny island.

"This is second class, purifier unit Megaman Tracker." The yellow unit said "Recovery of the black refractor accomplished." He turned to the violet unit "Shocker, we can go now."

"Not so fast." A familiar voice came.

Tracker turned to the source and saw Megaman Carnage hovering right in front of him. Before he could react, Carnage caught his wrist, holding it so hard that it crushed. Tracker screamed in pain.

"Tracker!" Shocker rushed to his aid. 

Carnage uprooted Tracker's arm as though it was just a leg or a wing from a fried chicken and took the Black refractor from tracker's amputated arm. Carnage threw Tracker's broken arm to Shocker so hard that it knock him out. 

Carnage wedged his hand onto Tracker's chest and ripped off and removed his internal core generator (equivalent to removing the biological heart from a human being). He turned and swing and struck his heel onto Tracker's face, causing him to fall towards the ocean below as he crush Tracker's generator with his palm.

Carnage let go of the pieces of the generator and shot a huge orange laser, engulfing Tracker completely. The laser made contact with the ocean's surface and explode in a huge tsunami. 

Shocker began shooting with his buster gun. Carnage was able to glance then disappeared and reappeared a few feet closer. 

Shocker fired again and again Carnage disappeared and appeared even closer by another few feet. To Shocker, every time he shoots at Carnage, he just vanished like a ghost. This was actually Carnage's lightning movement, so fast it becomes invisible to see. 

Close enough, Carnage crumpled the tip of the barrel of Shocker's buster gun, making it impossible to shoot any further. Carnage gave Shocker an upper cut, launching him up in the air. Carnage suddenly appeared above him and picked him so hard, his back armor broke. Shocker could hardly feel himself falling back onto the ocean as the excessively hard hit terminated most of his circuits. 

Shocker managed to see the ocean's surface getting closer then Carnage appeared. Carnage shot an orange laser onto Shocker, also ending up in a huge blast that his figure too vanished.

"No one's messing with my powers ever." Carnage held up the black refractor. It started glowing violet then its black coloring started fading as flashes of violet goes on and off.

Carnage felt energy entering then brimming within his as the black refractor faded further until it just disappear.

"And now…ah!" Carnage whispered then raised his voice to a full-scale roar "REVENGE…!!!" His voice was so loud it could be heard for nearly a hundred miles.

Barrel entered the dining room. There is a long table at the center where X, Zero, Blues, Bass, Roll, Tron, Teisel, and two servebots sat on the chairs around it. Much of the room had scattered books, machine parts, cables, wires, and circuits.

"This is diary…" Barrel introduces an old book it was badly torn in the ravages of time. "Is over 200 years old."

"200 years old!?" X sound surprised.

"It belongs to my great, great, great grandfather, Gear Gasket." Barrel sound sincere and frown "According to this diary, he actually met Carnage. There is so many text but to make it short, Megaman Carnage was an aberrant unit!"

Barrel opened the book and turned some pages to lead the others to the topic as he sits down a chair. "When Carnage was apprehended, a black refractor appeared on a gun-like weapon to another unit. It was then used to seal Carnage."

"Mr. Gasket, did your ancestor, Gear Gasket, actually helped seal Carnage?" Teisel asked.

"I don't know." Barrel answered. "When this happened, he was still a child, he may not remember it much because he was loitering in the ruin with some explorer when he witness this. 

"There is a description of Carnage here." Barrel clears his throat. "A unit in black armor, gray cape with black shoulder pad, red eye, and blue untidy hair but not long."

"It's him Teisel!" Tron yelled out as she jumps out of her seat.

"You met him!!?" Teisel sound surprise.

"Yes." Tron answered, sound scared. "I tried following him. I was curious. He must have got angry that he shot and nearly destroyed us together with the Gasselcraft yesterday."

"You mean…that morning that turned the Gasselcraft around!" Teisel answered back.

"He will be back" X said, standing up from his seat. "He said he will."

"What are we going to do?" Zero asked, still sitting on his chair.

"I don't know about him." X answered. "What concerns us now is the reconstruction of Kattlelox Island."

"You got that right X." Roll affirms. "And I have to fix the Flutter."

"How long will it take?" Zero asked

"At least a week…" Roll answers. "And a lot of money for replacing fully damaged parts."

"Like, we're going to crack every one of our hard-earn beans for this…" Blues sigh.

"Let me help you fix the flutter." Tron volunteers.

Timmy sadly walked on the sidewalk of the Uptown area of the city. She had told Drone to leave her alone for a while and Drone easily obeyed her. Its been ten days since Mimic led a large scale attack which left Kattlelox Island devastated. She felt so unwelcome yet she wasn't. This was partly because she felt responsible for the attack for bringing the black refractor to the island.

She walked on to the Downtown area where the scenes shock her a lot. The whole area was completely razed to the ground. A lot of workers were in the site rebuilding houses and buildings while cleaning up the mess that were still left after the past days. No wonder, she thought, why X and the others kept out of the downtown area. 

"Timmy!" X called as he approaches Timmy.

"You kept me out of here…" Timmy replied.

"Um…yes"

"Why did you…"

"I…I can't tell you…It's just that…"

"You're hiding something this big!" Timmy raised her voice then shedding some tears. "You're hiding this huge place so that I won't know what's really going on!"

"Timmy…" X came closer, trying to comfort her.

"Stay away!" Timmy pushes X and ran towards the Apple market.

"No, Timmy!" X followed as Timmy enters the market. 

X was slowed down by the downtown's rugged terrain. Every smooth pavement was wreaked and the footing was very bad; which is why even heavy equipment could hardly make a good run. Timmy ran without a care, she managed to get up after she stumbles on rocks and debris. As Timmy rushed, she was unable to notice the people staring at her in downtown.

Timmy exited the market to Cardon forest just as X enters its vicinity. And as X enters the left the market, Timmy was already in a distance but she was slowing down. The distance of running and the pain of grief wore down her endurance. Not for long, X caught up with Timmy, crying.

"Timmy why did you run." As X comforted Timmy as she cried on his chest.

"I've done…too much…horrible things…at you…and your island." Timmy sob

"It's not your fault." X replied.

X raised his head in alert. A strong tingling stuck his mind as he switches his arm to his buster gun.

"X…" Timmy whispered.

"There is someone else here." X whispered back, as he looked around. Able to sense but unable to see who ever it is.

"Excellent sense." A voice came as a unit stepped out of the foliage. It had black armor, gray cape, and red pupil-eye and bluish untidy hair. He stood almost a foot taller than X.

"You're…" X sounded unsure.

"Yes, I am Megaman Carnage." He introduces himself.

"Why are you here? What do you want!?" X demanded

"First, to fulfilling my promise." Carnage stated "Perhaps you forgot the message I gave your 'Bass' with?"

"X, are you…" Zero came then he turned surprised as he sees the black unit "Alright?"

"Well this is turning into a party." Carnage joked. "But I should not be long…" Carnage pulls out a silvery refractor a bit bigger than his palm and tossed it on to Timmy. Timmy caught the refractor and slowly stood up.

Carnage turned around, as he was about to leave but X pointed his buster gun to him.

"What's with the barrel?" Carnage asked in sinister slang.

"Many people had sacrificed their lives for your freedom." X said. "Even her friend had given up his life as a consequence."

"Blame it on Mimic." Carnage points out. "It was his fault."

"You cannot replace a life with a refractor." Zero supports X's claim.

"Hey!" Carnage turned to Zero "That is no ordinary refractor…It can power a city as big as this island for more than a hundred thousand years."

"You're so ungrateful." X taunted

"Yeah, like you can just replace a life with something like that." Zero pointed out further.

"Do I look like I can revive a dead person!" Carnage raised his voice.

"X, Zero, please stop." Timmy interrupts.

"Timmy…" X sound confused.

"Kevin is gone, there is nothing we all could do to change or replace that." Timmy sounded sad.

"Hey!" X called out but it was too late. Carnage sped out like a smokeless rocket and almost immediately disappeared into the sky. "Darn it! He got away."

"Not so…" Zero smirked, pulling out a calculator-size monitor with small buttons. "I got him tagged…"


	6. The Ruin haunter

Chapter 5: The Ruin Haunter 

"Where is that THING!" Mimic yelled, knocking his fist against the keyboard in front of a huge monitor. "Quantum! Where are you!" His voice echoed around the room.

Mimic continued punching his fingers onto the buttons of the keyboards. He was so uneasy every time he looks at the monitor, always displaying errors that the black refractor can't be found. It's been days he stared at the monitor as he keeps his search inside close doors. 

"Megaman Mimic…" Doors slide and came Quantum. "Looking for me?"

"What…What took you so long!" Mimic complained.

"Well, for your information, getting around this ruin is tedious enough." Quantum retaliates.

"Alright!" Mimic replied. "Anything…Any report or sightings"

"Well, the last one." Quantum sounded bored "Was for the fifty thousandth time…THE LAST SIGHTING WAS MADE BY TRACKER AND SHOCKER!!!"

"Why aren't they back yet!?" Mimic asked, returning to punch more buttons on his machine.

"I don't know, everything went blank."

"That's a lame one…" Mimic taunts, turning to Quantum. "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG HERE!?" With that, he went back to the monitor again.

"Everything goes wrong for you…"

"Not this time." Mimic turns the monitor off. "Even Eden doesn't have a trace on where the refractor might be or what happen to those two."

"This is like a game of looking for the Easter egg."

"This is not any Easter egg." Mimic turns even more serious "Carnage is strong but the black refractor will make him weak or make him even stronger." Mimic started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Quantum interrogates.

"Protocol." Mimic pushes a button, activating the door to slide open.

"Fine with me mister…" Quantum sigh "You need some patience there."

She turns the monitor on and punches some buttons. "This is Quantum Mimic." She stated. "Requesting backup files for Megaman Deadeye and Megaman Ion, pronto."

"SEARCHING FOR BACKUP FILES…" an OS voice came.

Quantum waited patiently with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. Until…

"ACCESS DENIED…" 

"BACKUP FILES FOR FIRST-CLASS PURIFIER UNIT MEGAMAN DEADEYE AND FIRST-CLASS PURIFER UNIT MEGAMAN ION MISSING…"

"Retry." Quantum demands.

"RETRY SE-AR-CHH…" The OS voice suddenly faded, as so as the monitor until it turned black.

"Requesting energy from backup generator. Pronto!" Quantum asked.

"…" The computer made some last sounds of static before completely fading into silence.

Quantum sigh. The generator must have broke down. Maybe it was low on energy. Maybe that is also the reason why the files of both Deadeye and Ion could not be retrieve. But also, it is possible that the System must be corrupted. She went to the door, pushed the button, and exited the room. 

"Maybe the generator needs repair." She said to herself. Strolling down the hallway, she heard some metal cracking. Quantum turned to the empty, seemingly, unending corridor.

"Is that you Mimic?" She asked coming closer to the dark. "Hello?"

Without a glance to spare, black hands covered her mouth and grabbed her really fast. She struggled to break free but the grip was too hard for her to handle. She couldn't even move her head to see whoever was choking her as her head was pressed tightly in between the hands of someone and something solid that she felt that she would get crushed.

She trashed ineffectually. She felt a sharp pain and trembled as sparks appeared. The tight press of her head gave her some blackouts and in no time she could felt that she was getting weaker. Her attacker must have been using a very powerful stunt gun. The electrical sparks sent to her to short circuited. Eventually, she lost all her strength and sight and her world around her shrouded in total darkness.

"X, there it is…" Zero pointed out to the tower over the sea.

"Thanks Zero." X turned to the window. "Roll…"

"I'm on it X." Roll steered the flutter closer to the ruin. And as soon as they arrived…

X stepped out first, followed by Zero. They both marched towards an opening of the shaft.

"Don't worry." X tries to cheer Roll as they entered the tower.

Inside, they found an elevator. It has only one red button on its control panel. The elevator was so near, they could see outside from it.

"Zero." X pressed the button. "Let's get ready."

"Roll, can you hear us?" Zero calls from his blue-tooth radio.

"Yes. Loud and clear." Roll replied

"How about me?" X asked from his radio.

"Same as Zero, X"

The elevator reached bottom. The ruin's wall and floors were made from green glossy metal. Unlike most other ruin, this one seems to be well maintained but also appears to be slightly damaged by recent battle or earthquake.

"X, check this one." Zero called out, crouching in front of pieces of metal.

"Is that?" X wondered what it is.

"It appears like fragments of a reaverbot." Zero said. "And look…" He pointed a red orb.

"Reaverbot eye?" X was surprised.

"This could worth a lot!" Zero concludes "It appears that whoever did this…"

"…Didn't blew up that reaverbot." X continues, picking up the piece of metal. "There is no sign of burns or melt spots on the metal. The metal was rather torn."

"Let's just find Carnage…" X threw the piece of metal back onto the floor and continued their way forward onto the hallway leading down.

A capsule opened and a faceless unit comes out of it. It was Megaman Mimic. The door slides open as he approaches it and leaves the room. In the hallway, for what it seems to be a hundred times he had passed by without an event. This time he sees something pink. He rushed to see it.

"Quantum…" Mimic held her. Her eyes were closed but she was intact top to bottom. Mimic picked her and here was a small box, no bigger than a shoebox, and it has a timer indicating '0:04'. It's a bomb!

Mimic lifted his sister by his arm. He was about to leave but some wind, not wind but feels like magnet, lifted Quantum. The force threw her back onto the bomb.

"QUANTUM!"

The bomb reached '0:00' and EXPLODE! Quantum was completely covered and vanished in the fire. Flames erupting and Mimic was blown to the other side of the hallway.

"NO…!" Mimic yelled, his back pressed against the wall.

Mimic could hardly get up from his burns. Who could have planted that bomb? Before he could recollect what had happened. A strange voice began pounding his mind, though it was completely unclear what it was saying.

"HOW DO YOU LIKE MY SURPRISE?" A familiar sound echoes

"You're…" Mimic gasped.

"YES, RELIVE YOUR NIGHTMARE."

"What have you done with her…!" Mimic yells.

"YOU KNOW…"

Mimic felt some flashing wind blew behind him, followed promptly by sharp metal to metal scratching, loud and sounded that it had moved across the corridors. He turned around to see but it hurts doing so. He touched his back, there were scratches all over and his cape was almost totally torn.

"Why you…" Mimic blaze out his light saber. "I'll…" a huge blowing, high-pressure wind blew and slammed him against the walls of the hallway.

Mimic fell onto the floor face first. He got up only to be slammed to the other wall. He got hit so hard that he got stuck. The winds return and pushed him into the ceiling and actually cracking it. Mimic budge and fell down and again some force came back which amplified the landing. The crash was so hard that the floor actually dented.

Mimic got up feeling his body in almost twisted shape. He was on his feet but couldn't stand upright, holding his in a frontal defensive post. He was facing two hallways, one was burning from the bomb earlier and the other was just pitch dark.

"A WORD…"

Mimic gasp, he couldn't hear properly. He could see three figures coming out from the fires of the left hallway. At the right was a white unit at the center was a green unit and the left was a female pink unit. Yes, they were Ion, Deadeye, and Quantum and they were not solid, rather they appear ghost-like.

"You left us…" the ghost of Ion howl.

"We are dead…" Deadeye gasps.

"You will be like us in no time…" Quantum stated.

Mimic stared in shock. This is not possible, they are…robots, purifier units shouldn't even have souls. But it's too real to deny.

"No! Get away…!" Mimic slashes his saber, trying to ward them off. The three phantoms continued to get closer and closer. 

Mimic slowly took steps backward but was still the figures are faster approaching until they were within range of his light saber. Mimic continued thrusting and slashing his saber but it just pass harmlessly on the wraiths. 

"Its no use…" Deadeye warns

"You can't stop us…" Quantum continues

"You will be resting with us." Ion stated.

The three ghosts' 'flash' started melting, showing their skeleton-like internal circuitry. This was way too weird, these must be all a mirage but it really there.

Mimic turned and ran into the other hallway. "No, you'll never take me…NEVER…!" He continued running aimlessly, not watching where he was going.

Mimic stumbled into a computer room. He hastily turned on the monitor and punching almost every button on the keyboard he could. The monitor wouldn't project anything.

"Com' on!" Mimic panted "Open…"

The monitor flashes and showed Carnage. "Greetings my betrayer…"

"You!" Mimic slashes his saber onto the keyboard. The buttons were flying off; the board was torn to pieces.

Mimic thrust, slash, doing anything he could to destroy the monitor as well. The screen burst, the glass was in pieces, littered all over the ground. The remains of the huge screen was its frame and a lot of smoke

"HA HA HA," A grim laughter echoed in the room

Mimic turned around the room to see where it could come from. The whole room was empty. No body, not even wraiths were in. 

"YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME…" It taunts.

The walls began projecting the face of Carnage smirking. Not one wall but every wall, ceiling and floor of the room are projecting it, like TVs. They weren't even supposed to project those, those infrastructure isn't even design to do such thing.

Mimic looked around and it was a nightmare. To make it worse, even the busted monitor is projecting Carnage it, even the keyboard, the speaker, even the wires around the machine is doing so.

"YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET AWAY…"

Mimic turned to the door where he had used to enter the room. The three ghosts, Ion, Deadeye and Quantum, entered the room without even opening the door.

"Give it up…" The ghosts ordered "You're not leaving this place alive…"

"EVEN IF YOU DO SO…" The projected faces of the smirking Carnage continues then laughed.

Mimic screamed in madness, leaving the room through the other door. The connecting hallway, every square inch of it, was projecting the laughing figure of Carnage. Mimic slash ineffectually against the walls and floors as he ran. But no matter how badly damaged it is, Carnage's face just wont leave.

Zero was walking ahead of X. X maintained a few paces behind waiting for Zero to say anything. Zero held his tiny, digital map. A cross was at the electronic screen, pointing forward.

"How far are is he, Zero?" X asked

"He's still some distance ahead." Zero replied, looking at his electronic device. "Strange, he seem to be staying ahead…"

"Let me see…" X took the device. "I see…" The device's arrow then pointed to the opposite direction.

"What? He's behind us…" Zero yelp and dashes behind X. A 'wall' then collapse in between, separating both X and Zero.

"Zero…" X yelled against the wall.

"X, hang in there." Zero replied, turning his light saber on. He was about to thrust the wall when suddenly another wall came down to reinforce it.

"What the…" Zero came in surprise and jumped back. 

A third wall followed, covering the second wall. Zero took a step back when suddenly a forth wall slammed down, a fifth followed before the fourth could reach the floor.

"Oh, shoot!" Zero ran a sixth wall came down. 

The seventh came down afterwards, and without a second to delay, it was succeeded by the eighth wall, the ninth, the tenth, eleven, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth. The sixteenth wall came much faster than the rest, followed by the seventeen, even faster than any before and the even faster eighteenth, and so. Every succeeding wall fell faster than its predecessor did. Finally, it came to an immediate halt when the fiftieth wall had closed in. 

Zero rested a bit. He turned heard some slamming from the other side. Wait, more walls coming from the opposite side of the hallway are falling too. Zero leaned his back against the fiftieth wall.

He could only think that those walls could slam him flat in any moment when it stopped coming down a few meters from him.

"Whew…" Zero felt relief then a cranking sound was obviously audible. He looked up to see that the ceiling was closer than he expected. No, the ceiling was actually coming down, Zero realizes. In a minute or less, he would be just as flat as a piece of paper for sure.

The ceiling continued lowering. So close now that Zero had to crouch to gain space. It's over now; the falling ceiling is going down faster than his light saber would take to burn.

Just as things are about to look and end hopelessly flat, the floor swung open down. Zero slid down onto the shaft. Before he could hold himself to create the friction to stop, the slide came to an end. Zero fell out from the ceiling of a room. He managed to land on his feet.

"What is this place…" Zero could see the room was just a few square meters small. There is a door in front of him but its covered by some shining force field. The walls, ceiling and floor are covered by force field too. The ceiling must have closed back and reactivate its field when he entered.

Zero slashes his saber against the force field but it doesn't work. The force field seems too strong. 

"Hello, Roll?" Zero called by his radio. "Come in Roll."

The radio only gave static there was no sign of roll responding within it. The force field must have blocked the transmission. Now, he's trapped in a room with no communications and no way out.

Zero, Zero!" X called out against the wall. Things are just futile. Yelling against the wall wouldn't do, he thought.

"Roll, Zero's gone…" X called out form his radio.

"What happened X?" Roll answered.

"A wall fell and separated us…" X replied. "Can you reached Zero, tell him to hang on…"

"I can't…" Roll replied. "His transmission signal is blanked."

"What!?" X was shocked "I'll find him."

"X, be careful…" Roll replied

"Gotcha." X left the area and went on.

X traveled further. The path and the hallway seem to go on only 'one end' and it zigzags all the way. Minutes pass and still no sign of doors or rooms. His tracking device showed that Carnage was at the end of the hallway again and he went on since it is impossible to go back now. 

Finally the hallway ends with a door. X entered it; there was a bigger brighter hallway but he could not tell if this was longer than the one behind him.

X walked on and he could see that there was somebody leaning on the wall about two hundred feet or so away. It had black armor and cape.

"Well, X!" The figure called, vanishing from the distance and appearing just a few meters in front of X.

"Carnage!" X yelp. "Where is Zero?"

"Why are you here with your friend?" Carnage asked.

"I asked you first."

"But you have to answer my question first before I do." Carnage smirked. "Or you could never see him again."

"What did you do to him." X starts getting angry.

"Must I have to do everything!" Carnage grumbles. "You came here to ask a bigger reward."

"Just tell me where Zero is…" X demands

"Forget it." Carnage rejected X's demands "You didn't answer my question, I won't answer yours."

"I don't have time for any game here!" X growl.

"Neither do I." Carnage repeats. "And I don't want to help you too." With that, Carnage turned his back and started walking away. X was infuriated.

"Don't turn your back on ME!!" X turned Carnage by flipping his shoulder. "I came to a lot of trouble and you would just walk out!?"

"Well, if it's the friend of your you want." Carnage smirks. "Find him yourself…"

"What about Timmy, the girl you met with me." X reasons. "She lost her friend, her only family." X pointed his finger onto Carnage "And you're going to just replace it with a refractor!"

"There is nothing I can do about that." Carnage presents his excuse. "I don't have the power to revive a dead person…" Carnage raised his voice and gave X an angry stare eye-to-eye. "MUST I HAVE TO TELL YOU TWICE!!!"

"Of course," X counters, his face wrinkling in anger. "At least you should show some apology and sincerity for her lose." X gasp. "Like you just gave a bone to a dog in the street. She set you free and her friend paid for the consequence and…"

"I did not kill her friend." Carnage counters, getting even madder "This is not your line X…She should be the one complaining if she's not satisfied."

"Well, I am speaking in her behalf." X retaliates more. "She is a human being. She's not like you. Neither is her friend and father…you cannot replace life with treasure." X remarks. "Think about it, she set you free, she lost her friend and she even end up tormented by what she did. Even an entire island had to suffer." X pointed out. "And all you gave her is some batteries." 

"What do you want me to do?" Carnage asked. "Look for a new life for her friend, crawl on my knees, cry on her shoes." Carnage smirked. "You're out of your mind!"

"You're a 'Swine' who doesn't know any sense of compassion!" X raises his voice. "That's who you are 'a dirty PIG!!!'"

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!!!" Carnage gave a fierce look onto X.

A gravitational force blew X directly from Carnage. X hit the wall hard enough that he blacked out for a second. As soon as he came to, Carnage was gone. But not for his 'track' X thought the device still tells his exact location.

X walked to the end of the hallway. It was pretty short compared to the previous one. There was a door, and besides X are two other hallways. X went in the door at the center.

"Carnage!" X called out, his voice amplified and echoed throughout the room. It would take a deaf person to be unable to notice his voice calling. The room was very large, large enough to swallow Kattlelox's downtown. There was a large generator at the end of the room.

"Carnage!" X called gain, holding and watching his tracing device. "I know that you're behind that generator."

"You got a problem there." Carnage complained, stepping out from his hiding "Or are you just asking for trouble." 

"We haven't settled this yet…" X demands. "And you got the guts to ran away…!?"

"I'd say, you're asking for trouble." Carnage smirked. "It'll be my pleasure to reduce your irritation to scrapes for recycles."

"Yeah right, bring it on!" X taunted. "We'll see who will be the scraps you're talking about." X tossed the tracking device away and prepares his buster gun.

"Very well." Carnage smirked. 

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me", Playing]

"You asked for it!" Carnage charged.

It happened too quickly. Carnage vanished from where he was, appeared right in front of X, grabbed him by his neck, took him a hundred feet to the air, missing the ceiling to only a few inches, and slammed him to the ground. The impact was hard enough to break the patch of the ground. X could feel his body ripped apart but was actually intact. The shock trembled like he was trapped in a bass drum, the size of a round table.

"Well, how is it for you…" Carnage taunted "Very painful, or sort of painful."

"Argh." X gasped. "I don't even need drop of anesthetics for that."

"If pain is what you want." Carnage growl. "I'll be glad to give you so much of it, not even all the drugs on this planet could ease the pain would you get."

Carnage charges again, kicking X sides and sent him flying high into the hundred-footer wall. The wall broke upon impact and X was stuck on it. 

"You got a big mouth." Carnage taunts. "But you can't deliver bites."

X used his remaining strength, fired the biggest shots he could shoot from the buster gun. Carnage just 'slapped' the projectile away as soon as it was within reach. The other shootings missed partly because X was in bad shape.

"Don't tell me that's all you got?" Carnage leaped from the ground. He floated himself closer and quickly, preparing to knock X with his knuckles.

X leaped from his wedging place and thrust his 'arm blade' onto Carnage. The blade hit but unable to pierce Carnage's armor, Carnage doesn't even shot the slightest sign of pain at all. Carnage grabbed X by the back of the neck, shoved him in the air, and gave an upper cut from the belly up to the chin in midair. 

His knuckles tore X's armor right at the chest. The force launched X to the ceiling. X ricochet at the ceiling, leaving a crack on it, fell back to the ground, and carved a crater of his figure.

"Here's to you…" Carnage fired an orange laser, large enough to swallow X.

X's buster gun is no match against it. He fired it to propel his way out of the incoming laser. The laser missed but the blast blew X away and gave his already battered armor additional burns.

"Well how about this!" Carnage dived, fist first.

X turned a bit, missing Carnage's knuckle. But X was blown away by the intense impact, X was again launched into the air for another fifty feet or so. He could barely keep his eyes open though out the battle and the room was pretty dusty from all those crashing. Carnage flew out of the mist, and caught X in midair by the neck.

"You want one hell of a pain." Carnage gripped X by the neck tighter. "You got it. This will be the time of your life!"

Carnage, tightening his grip on X even more, flew around the room at hypersonic speed. X couldn't move; the speed created so much air friction that his hands and legs were force to his sided and Carnage's hold is choking. X could actually feel his body heat up by the air friction.

Carnage continued circling the room; around and around, over and under, for like a thousand times or so and counting. Carnage give out his grudge to pushed X against the surface, regardless if it was the wall, the ceiling, or the floor. He just pushes the blue unit wherever there is something smooth and solid.

X's back was being pressed against the walls, ceiling and floors. It left behind some enormous scratches on the surface. X's back armor had nearly worn out from all those contacts.

"Here is the pain…the royal pain." Carnage turned the room one last time before diving to the ground, hitting X's head first onto the ground. The impact sent a shock that crumbled the entire room with it and partially demolished the large generator. A fog followed, engulfing the room.

Carnage stood in front of X, he was still intact but his armor was badly damage and his helmet nearly broke in half.

"And the finale…" Carnage shoots an orange laser from his palm to the ceiling. The pieces from above fell and covered X in rumbles.

"And that's where your story ends…" Carnage smirked as he exited the room by the other door. Leaving behind X under the rubble and a completely worn room.

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me." Ends]

"X, X, can you hear me." Roll called but there was no response but static. "X, please?"

"What happened?" Bass asked.

"We lost X too." Roll replied

"What are we going to do?" Blues asked.

"We better look for them" Roll replied.

"Down there!?" Bass yelp.

"Yes, it's the only way." Roll cried. "this is my fault."

"No I'm coming with you." Bass volunteers.

"Were all coming." Blues volunteers too.

"OK" Roll replied. They all went to the tower and entered the shaft. They left the flutter to land on there.

"Roll, come in, Roll." Zero called but only static came. "Argh! Darn it, this is ridiculous!" Zero kicked at the force field by the door. "Why can't you just turn off so…" The force field suddenly ceases until it was off.

"Well." Zero marched his way to the door and exits the room. As soon as he did so, the next room was pitch black.

"Somebody get some light." Zero complained then glowing red lights. "Huh?"

There were two, then four, then still more glowing lights. Each seems to be in pair. No those are not just lights, Zero thought; those are…Cerberus eyes!

Zero pulled out his light saber and simultaneously faint emergency lights around the room also turned on, providing just enough light to see but not clearly. There were twelve, no, twenty or even more Cerberus around.

The nearest Cerberus leaped as it charges but Zero easily deactivated it with a swing of his saber. Cutting the Cerberus half by its shoulder and collapse as it dies.

The other Cerberus charges, as so as Zero. He swung and thrust four of them then hopped high into the air, diving thrusting, and wedging his saber into the wolf-robot's spine. The reaverbot jerked and trembled, electricity parking and exploding a bit as it collapse and dies.

Two other Cerberus approached at opposing directions towards Zero. They breathe out fire as they got close but Zero vanished, and the Cerberus burned each other's faces instead.

Zero spin around from above like a razor wheel. His blade sliced though one attacking Cerberus, crouching as he land, turning and jabbing his saber to the other Cerberus' mouth. Both metallic wolves fell and exploded as they deactivate. 

Despite the casualty, more Cerberus came. "Alright…" Zero smirked and leaped up in the air. "Here're to you!"

The entire room blackens followed by intersecting yellow lines numbering in thousands. More lines built up until the whole room got brighter than what it used to be.

Zero landed back on his feet, crouching. Every Cerberus was still from their previous posture. Zero sheaths his saber, folded his arms and the Cerberus, all of them, fell in pieces, apparently being sliced up.

"That was too easy, what's next?" Zero taunts. A door on the other side of the room opens.

"Can't be…" Roll was astounded.

"…A dead end." Bass continues.

"No, that not it." Blues called them.

"What did you got there?" Roll asked

"This…" Blues pointed out

"That's just a wall." Bass grumble.

"How about this…" Blues pressed something in the wall and it opened like a door. Inside is a very small room, barely two square meters, white and well lit.

"That's an elevator!" Roll pointed out as she entered. "Come on!"

"Which floor?" Blues asked as he entered.

"There is only one button." Bass pointed out.

"Here goes nothing…" Roll pressed the single red button besides the elevator's door. The elevator sent down, slowly, taking a minute then it stopped and its doors automatically opened.

Roll stepped out followed by Bass and Blues. They are in a hallway

"Dead end in this side." Blues informs them. They were on one end of the hallway.

"Its dead end here too…" Bass pointed out. The hallway was just twenty-five meters long and seven meters wide. Then the elevator slammed shut.

Blues rushed to the elevator but there was no button to call it or open it. "I think we are trap."

"Yeah right, we're trap!" Bass grumble "We're trapped like rats. And we'll all be dead rats in no time."

"Don't give up yet." Roll said. "There has got to be a way…" she tried pushing the wall.

"Whoa!" The wall flips, Roll taken along with it to a room or something in the other side.

"Roll!" Bass called out, hammering the wall that had dragged Roll.

"That's not gonna work." Blues pointed out.

"But we have to save her." Bass grumbled. "Who knows what's in with Roll." Bass fires his forte buster but fell short against the wall.

"We better look for another way." Blues suggested

"Yeah right." Bass aimlessly punches the wall. And besides them, the hallway's end, rise opens.

"Well, see." Blues quiver.

"Yeah right." Bass snapped.

"Bass, Blue!" Roll hammers her fist against the wall. She turned around and sees a door at the end of the room she was in. "Oh well." She proceeded anyway.

Roll entered a large room; the entire city hall could fit in. The room was dark and appears damp. Water must have leaked into the room and left behind dirt it carried. Strangely, the room is dry…Where could the water be? She thought.

"Get away from me, Get away from me!" A faceless unit with black armor shrieked while entering the room through the other opening, without a door.

"Mimic…" Roll gasp, a bit confused.

"Stay away from me…" Mimic demand, pointing his light saber towards Roll. "Stay away!"

"What's wrong?" Roll asked.

"Don't try to fool me Carnage." Mimic gasp. "I know that is you!"

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Roll sounded even more confused.

"Just stay away, your not taking me alive!" Mimic replied, still panicking and shivering as he pointed the tip of his saber.

"What are you so scared off?" Roll asked again. 

"Don't try faking me." Mimic objects "I wanna get outta here!!!" Mimic lowered his saber and dashes off only to be caught by sliding doors. Every room's door just wouldn't open and every pathway out closed.

"We're trapped here, alright!" Roll pointed out "I can't believe that a man like you would be so scared like that…" She taunted.

"Are you trying to insult me." Mimic growl as he turned to Roll.

"If that's what you deserve…" Roll replied. "And I thought men would protect and fight for the ladies."

"What are you talking about…" Mimic snapped.

"I stumbled here too, you know." Roll said. "You're a man."

"You're not afraid of him…?" Mimic replied.

"Carnage…" Roll stated. "Nah!"

"What's with you…" Mimic grumble "Carnage is a monster, a cold blooded killer. He's like a deity of doom. The bearer of destruction."

"You're overacting." Roll taunts again. "I don't have any weapons but you do. Yet you're much more frightened than me."

"Why are you so confident?" Mimic asked.

"Same as you…" Roll stated "Why are you so scared?"

"I can't take him…" Mimic snorted. "He's coming for me, he wants his revenge!"

"Just tell me why he's like that?" Roll asked. "And tell me how you end up like this…"

"Very well…" Mimic sigh. "I'll tell you…"

X dug his way out of the pile of concrete and steel, despite his badly damaged body. His armor was torn, helmet cracked and his shoulders and legs dislocated. Even his shield is gone.

He activated his energy canteen, hoping that its content is enough to repair him. He barely had the energy to get it out.

"INITIALIZE…" 

X could feel his damages starting to heal. His armor's tear began to seep as it shrinks and rebind.

"REPAIR COMPLETE!"

"SHIELDS RESTORE!"

"Carnage…" X gasp, feeling the life seeping back into his body. He had fought a lot of enemies before, some much stronger than he is. But, to his thought, none of them came close to Carnage.

"Roll, Zero!" X stood from his laying position and makes a break for the door. He couldn't hear any sound from his radio. X took it out of his ear and it broke into pieces.

"So, he's after you because you help sealed him…" Roll said as she sits on a platform besides Mimic.

"Yes…" Mimic replied. "Now do you understand why…"

"How about Kattlelox?" Roll asked 

"I can't recover the Black Refractor," Mimic placed his palm onto his 'face'. "That thing is the only artifact that can safely get him back to prison. I was sworn to get it back…even if the bureaucrat district of Kattlelox had to be sacrifice."

'Are you going that far…" Roll grumbled. "Would you risk a hundred people just to apprehend him?…"

"Yes…" Mimic answered. "Carnage will destroy the System then…the human race will be in his hands. Better sacrifice one local district than to jeopardize Terra." 

"Is he going to destroy the humans as well?" Roll asked

"I don't know…" Mimic sigh.

Just as things started to get quiet, a door explode, pieces flying all over.

"Look out!" Mimic grabbed Roll by her shoulder. Clutching Roll as he put himself in between the blown door and her. Covering her using his back to prevent the sharp projectile from reaching into her. He knew that humans could easily get hurt from explosions and the flying debris as well. 

Just as the door was reduced, the blocking of every exit in the room began opening, except for the sliding doors.

"You alright." Mimic asked.

"Yes…!" Roll replied. "But what about…"

"Its OK." Mimic assures her "I do not easily get damaged…"

"Greetings! MIMIC!" A growling voice was heard from the smoking, worn door. A figure with black armor, black cape, and bluish hair came. "You're undertaker has arrived…"

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me." Playing]

"Carnage…!?" Mimic gasp while turning around.

"Interesting… a 'metal' with a 'carbon'…" Carnage sounded sadistic. "Well, allow me to break your bond apart!"

Mimic jumped and stood in front of Roll. He pulled out his light saber as he took defensive pose while facing Carnage.

"What'd ye know…" Carnage smirked. "has the coward turned into a king or is he just pretending to be brave?"

"Roll…" Mimic whispered. "Run!"

"But…" Roll hesitates.

"Roll…" Mimic whispered again. "You have nothing to do with this…I don't want you to get involved. Just save yourself…"

"I…" Roll sounded unwilling. "I can't…"

"Very well…" Carnage smirked. He raised his hand and immediately shoots a marble-size yellow ball towards Roll.

Mimic leaped to the air and, using his saber, batted the ball back to Carnage. The ball exploded with the force the same as what destroyed the door earlier. Carnage disappeared into the smoke and flame. Mimic spread his limbs in front of Roll, just as he did before, shielding as much pieces as possible.

"For the last time go…" Mimic called out.

Roll rushes as fast as she could to the door behind her. Just as she was nearing, she felt her body getting heavier and heavier she couldn't lift it anymore. "Can't move…" She gasps.

"Roll!" Mimic quivered.

"A little weight is all it take." Carnage hissed, stepping out of the flame.

"Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!" Mimic demand.

"Make me…" Carnage stated as he makes a devilish smile.

Mimic dash as he swings his saber. In just a flash, the standing, stiff Carnage vanished. He looked around the room but he was just gone.

Carnage suddenly appeared in front of Mimic as he tumbled and stuck his heels onto Mimic's chin, causing him to be blown to the distant wall of the large room. Mimic impact the wall and even cracked it as he falls into the ground, seemingly unconscious. 

"Get outta here…" Carnage turned to Roll, grumbling. "I'll deal with you later!" 

Roll felt her body's weight getting lighter. She quickly left the room via the door. She began feeling intense fear running through her.

Mimic got up and charges onto Carnage, facing away from him. Just as he was about to get close, Carnage vanished. Mimic felt a huge 'bam' at his back as he found himself off the ground and flying uncontrollably into the other wall. He got stuck on it, face first.

"You're too slow…" Carnage taunts.

Mimic levitated into the air but he appeared unconscious, Carnage must be lifting him through telekinetic powers. 

Just when close enough, Mimic woke up, morphed his body into a weapon of destruction, every square inch of his body has a gun barrel. Simultaneously firing, the room was lit up with all sorts of lasers and luminous gun bullet. There are even missiles and Carnage again disappeared in the smoky scene as the disco of firing filled the room.

Mimic morphed back to his original form. The room was charred, like a monsoon of bombs had rained in. A dark hand burst its way out of the dark and Mimic was caught unaware. Mimic couldn't move away.

The smoke quickly settled; doesn't appear like it had calmed naturally. Mimic could see and feel that Carnage was getting a rather tight grip on his neck.

"You can't get rid of me with just that…" Carnage taunts.

Mimic thrust his saber, it was still off. He pressed it on as soon as it was in contact with Carnage. The bright light didn't appear. He retracted it and that's when it did. It appears, his light saber can't get through Carnage at all.

"Sabers are obsolete to be." Carnage taunts again, holding and crushing Mimic's fist and as well as the light saber with it. "Now you shall PAY…!!!"

Carnage let go of his grip on Mimic's neck as he tightens his grip on Mimic's hand and slammed him. Carnage didn't let go; instead he began twisting Mimic's arm. He then stomped at Mimic's shoulder after twisting, turning and nearly amputating Mimic's arm.

Mimic screamed in pain. Carnage got hold on Mimic's shoulder as he plunges a spear-hand strike on it. Carnage let go while Mimic tries to make a run for it.

Carnage caught one of Mimic's legs. He held one hard enough that it began deforming while stomping the other, crushing hit flat and pieces flying.

Mimic tried scratching his other able arm s he crawls his way. Carnage caught Mimic doing this in his first move. Still holding one leg and throwing Mimic to the wall behind him. 

"I'm not through with you." Carnage pointing his index finger, firing an orange laser and hitting the shoulder that connects Mimic's able arm.

Mimic could feel his entire body getting limp. Cyborgs don't usually feel pain as much as humans do. But in this case, it would be impossible to ignore it yet Mimic could be able to shout it out. The excessive shock damaged his neuron system, blocking some pain. Carnage floated Mimic out of the wall. 

"Argh…" Mimic gasped.

"This for the souvenir." Carnage reached for Mimic's 'face', removing it, and exposed the internal circuitry of his head.

The pain was too much, Mimic screamed as he could not hold back the amputation.

"And now for the grand finale…" Carnage hissed, he levitated Mimic higher. A shadow of both Mimic and Carnage was projected in the wall. Mimic's figure began deforming and slowly ripped into its pieces off.

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me." Ends]

A very loud scream was heard over part of the ruin, loud enough to be heard through the thick walls. The sound echoed around for a while.

"Alright blonde…" Carnage hissed. "I let you run…" He turned to a pathway that leads to the side of the room. "…But I won't let you get away."

Carnage turned away and disappeared right at where he was. The room was twisted, cracked and littered with Mimic's remains, small pieces of machines ranging from tiny microchips and transistors to chucks of armor.

Roll was running in another darker, narrower, smaller hallway. She felt exhausted as she reached for the door.

Her exhaustion forced her to pant and stop running as soon as she entered the room. She could sword that it was a long run she made, more like a marathon. Fear began running into her mind and sending chills down her spine. In the mist of her fatigue, she felt horribly lost. The ruin is like a maze, haunted by a monster, Carnage.

This room is also huge, just as bug as the other one where she had met Mimic. Platforms, not connected to each other and stood like short buildings, were standing by dozens.

"I should never come into this place." Roll said to herself. She could not even have the strength to run another meter.

Roll leaned her back against the closed door. Slowly, lowering her to sit as she clutched her legs and rest her face against her knees. "X, Zero, Bass, Blues…" She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Where are you…?"

She couldn't tell if it was seconds or minutes had pass when she heard a door, on the other side of the room, slide open. She got onto her feet s she hid behind a platform.

"X!" She cheers as she sees him.

"Roll!" X greets back as they ran and hug each other.

"I was so worried about you!" Roll cried.

"What are you doing here?" X asked.

"I'm sorry." Roll confesses, resting against X's chest. "I was so worried that I lost you here."

X brushed down her hair. "It'll be alright…" He whispered as he stoked Roll's hair again. He suddenly got a hold of the back of her head, pushing it as he kisses her.

Roll resisted as she push him back forcefully but couldn't. X would never do something like this.

X let her go as Roll finally pushes herself back. "You're not X!" She grunted.

"Right!" He replied.

"Who are you?" She asked angrily.

He began morphing, getting bigger a bit. Pale blue hair appearing, red eyes shimmering and black armor and gray cape forming.

"Carnage!" She gasped, her angry tones turned to fear.

"Correct!" Carnage grunted.

"What do you want?" she asked nervously. "What have you done with Mimic."

"Everything!" Carnage hissed. "Every pain, every torture…just EVERYTHING THAT HURTS!"

Roll could not help but stare at his eyes. She felt afraid; running might intimidate Carnage to kill her painfully. But right now she is in a very serious situation that every move could spell and sent her to the edge. There is no telling what Carnage could do or what he has in mind for her and for everyone else still alive in the ruin afterwards.

"Let's have something ecstatic for a change." Carnage grinned, eyes narrowing.

Roll felt wave of fatigue running down her mind and muscles. She couldn't run or even think of what to do next. She felt that her legs couldn't even held her up any longer as she feel sleepy, she was beginning to lose her balance. Carnage caught her the moment she was to fall.

Carnage crouched as he rested her back on his arm and her two legs against one of his. He stoked her hair and kissed her. Roll couldn't react; she doesn't even know what he is doing. As the kissing went on, Carnage slowly unbuttons Roll's red vest.

He shoved her vest off and gently massaged her left breast, though she still had her undershirt on. Carnage moved his lip down her neck as he moved his stoking hand down to her pants and slid it in the garters.

Carnage slowly lifts out his hand from the garments and began undoing her pants' button. Opening it and slowly yanking it down as soon as he did. He dragged it down with one hand, reaching her ankles. His hand moved back to her vest, taking one sleeve off. 

Zero entered the cave-like opening behind and above him. He sees them. 

Infuriated, Zero jumped to slash Carnage from the back but both Carnage and Roll vanished. Zero remained in a slashing position, crouched in the spot where they were.

"Well what a moron…" a taunting voice came.

Zero turned around and sees Carnage on top of a platform to his right. He was holding Roll, still out cold, on his arms.

"Would you actually kill her with me…" Carnage hissed.

"Carnage!" Zero grunted. "What have you done with HER…!!"

The devilish unit snickers as he adjusted his eye directly onto the blonde Zero. "Getting some pleasures." Carnage hissed, gently brushing his palm against her cheeks as he cautiously moved his lips towards her.

"DON'T TOUCH'ER!!!" Zero barks at the pervert.

Carnage paused. His confident mouth turned to scorn.

"That's quite rude…" Carnage complained, moving his face away from Roll.

"Come down here and fight like a man!" Zero protest, waiving his hand down.

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me." Playing]

"Very well." Carnage responds. He gently puts Roll down on the platform, took off his cape and placed it on top of her like a blanket.

Carnage jumps down the platform and stares at Zero face to face. The grin in Carnage's red eyes and the smirk on his devilish lips infuriated Zero even further.

Zero lunged as he charges. Carnage shoved aside, block and caught his wrist, kicks him in the belly, his legs across it, as he let go. The force of the kick sent Zero up into the ceiling, cracking it, as he ricochet back to earth.

"Just like everybody else…" Carnage grunted. "You're barks worse than your bite."

Zero got up, swings his sword but Carnage easily jumped back and evaded it. He charges again then Carnage retreated further by jumping backwards. Zero slashes his sword as soon as he got close enough then Carnage vanished. He felt his arm twist followed by a hard blow at the back. Zero hit the ground.

Zero gripped his hand only to find out that his light saber is missing. Hey, how could it get lost! He turned his head and saw that his saber on Carnage's hand.

"Did you know…" Carnage grunted, slashing the light saber on his sides. "If I can take your saber off you…I can't take your 'Roll' anytime I want."

"Don't bet on it!" Zero replied, unsheathing another light saber as goes for Carnage again.

Carnage so charges too then they both began striking each other's swords. Zero delivered as much slashes as he could but Carnage easily blocked each of them, with only one hand handling the saber. One hand! No, nobody can handle one hand on a saber on a serious battle. Zero was already holding his saber both hand or alternate hands while leaping, crouching, standing and hoping that one of his attacks could gash its way into Carnage.

Carnage leaped back, face with a smile. Zero stopped and panted. This guy is quite fast, being able to block them all easily. Worse, Zero noticed that his energy is down to 45%. No way, the battle has just started yet for Carnage.

"My turn…" Carnage whispered, but Zero could hear it. Carnage lunged and Zero tenses as his defensive reaction, hoping he could block the attack, or whatever it is.

Carnage flashed forward and Zero could barely see him coming. Just as Zero jerked, he fell on the ground and dropped his saber. Zero crouched and clutches his abdomen. Carnage had stuck Zero and left a huge, deep cut through his armor and into his gut.

"This is so disappointing…" Carnage complained, standing behind the curled Zero. 'Can't you even see your opponent coming!?"

Zero slowly stood up ignoring the cut in his gut. He reached for his saber, having difficulty standing. Holding the saber on one hand and the damage he incurred in the other.

"Give it up!" Carnage protest, sending waves of tormenting magnetism towards Zero. The blond reploid was lifted off the ground and sent crashing back a few feet. "I can kill you in your condition."

"Not so fast!" a voice came.

Carnage turned around, seeing a plasma ball from the dark come racing towards him. He put forward one hand and blocked it easily. Two figures came out from the dark.

"Blues, Bass…" Zero gasped.

"What do you know!" Carnage smirked, turning his eyeballs to Blues and Bass. "Two more companies."

Bass shot his own buster, sending strong acoustic waves of low frequency. Carnage leaped and landed in between Bass and Blues. Giving Bass an uppercut and Blues a back-kick and send them to crashed at opposing walls.

"Why you…" Blues grunted, shooting an orange plasma ball.

Carnage saw it coming, really slow for his standard. He scooped it, turning around and threw it back to Blues. Blues couldn't react to move away in his condition. Anyway, it was too late and the projectile came knocking his armor. Luckily, it only left a bruise in his armor.

"Blues!" Bass shoots in his own buster.

Still, Carnage notices it. He turned around and blew it back with a trust punch. The sound waves crashed back onto Bass and leaving his dizzy and scraping the walls round him.

"Let's get this over with…" Carnage grinned.

Blues jumped up and began shooting his buster gun towards Carnage, but he easily evaded. Carnage charges towards Blues while dodging his shootings easily. Carnage got close, punches blues at the cheek. The shock of the fist nearly gave Blues a blackout. Before blues could react, or even move a bit, Carnage had already kicked him in the groin, a blow on his ribs and on elsewhere and he couldn't tell where he had been struck for a moment. Heels against his against his shoulder, then a chop on the back of his neck, then a palm on his chest, almost causing him to cough his internal generator. Carnage gave blues a sweeping kick. Before he could fall to the ground, Carnage caught him, head under heels, as Blues was thrown away, hitting the wall so hard, it broke.

"Blues…!" Bass lunged towards Carnage.

Just as he thought he had grabbed him, Carnage vanished and appeared on Bass' back. Carnage gave him an elbow strike from behind. Bass way pushed off by the force then pulled back. 

Carnage had caught Bass' buster and before Bass could fire it, Carnage had inserted one of his hands into the barrel. Immediately, electricity of several thousand volts stuck all over bass from his buster gun. He couldn't fire it.

"Electrically painful?" Carnage taunts. He let go of Bass but retain his other hand in the buster gun.

Carnage punches Bass' elbow that connects to the buster gun, causing it to break off. Carnage thrusts his head, hitting it against Bass'. It was a hard blow and Bass fell unto the ground motionless and smoking. Carnage felt no pain in his part, nor show a sign of dizziness.

"No…!" Zero lunged from the ground. He held no light saber handle but a light saber burst its way from his fist-form palm. It's the spiritual saber! Carnage turned around but Zero had already closed in and slashed. 

Carnage jumped to aside to safety. Zero stood, panting again, and tightly gripping his two hands on his spiritual saber.

"Excellent…" Carnage smirked as he sees a white scratch across the chest of his armor. "But that would be all you could get."

"Meteor Force!" Carnage lunged to Zero. His three fingers in his right hand was glowing in a pale white swirling, glowing gas (or so what it looked like). Carnage struck his hand onto Zero. The contact caused a surge of blowing wind, almost igniting a monsoon. Zero was blown into the wall.

Zero's armor was scrapped off in the front. His helmet was badly damaged and almost in pieces like a crushed hard-boiled egg. His internal circuitry was almost totally exposed as so as his face, almost peeled off.

__

[Puff Daddy,"Come with me." Ends]

"Well, such a pity…" Carnage taunted then noticed something was on for him from behind. 

Ann incoming white plasma came for him from behind as he turned around and blocked it, X-block style. He raised to see who did it.

"X!" Carnage grunted.

"Brother!" Blues called out.

"You're alive!" Zero gasped.

"Good timing…" Bass grunted, trying to stand from his burns.

Carnage brushed his nose with his thumb. "You got a lot of fans with you." He taunts.

X sees a blonde girl on the platform covered in a gray blanket. It's Roll! "What have your done with HER…!!!" he yells at Carnage.

"Just a little…" Carnage smirks. "Kissing and…Touching!"

"Why you!" X snarls, firing another blast at Carnage but he easily took the punch without even phasing.

"You can't avenge anyone from me with such a puny gun." Carnage taunts.

"We shall see…" X replies, turning to his friends. "Zero, Bass, Blues. Take Roll with you and leave this ruin. Take the door to the left and turn left again. You will find an elevator, ride on it and it would take you to the passage out of here."

"Got it…" Blues replied, jumps to the high platform and takes Roll on his arms. He redresses and button back what Carnage had stripped her from.

"A little help…" Zero begs.

"Sure!" Bass replied, supporting Zero on his shoulder.

"X, are you coming?" Blues asked.

"No, just get out." X replied.

"Um…OK." Blues replied as they all turned to the left door.

"We'll come back for ya." Bass said before leaving the room. 

X watched as they safely left the room. Carnage smirked as he watch his beat down adversaries leave in miserable shape. Later only Carnage and X remained.

"Well now…" Carnage smiles. "Shall we be…"

X fired an even stronger buster unto Carnage. The impact blasted Carnage but still in one piece. 

"That was still…" Carnage emerge from the smoke "…unpleasing, for me." He lunged for X, knocking him into the wall with his fist.

X managed to shoot white stuck in the wall. A beam of light streaking directly but stopped as it hit Carnage at the chest. 

"What do you call this!?" Carnage announced, calmly.

"The shining laser." X replied, still shooting the beam. "You're toast!"

"I'd say that even this is a joke…" Carnage respond, shooting a tiny, yellow, glowing ball from his palm.

The ball blew X off from the wall and forced back to the ground. He could feel the entire place within him burning. Even his armor was melted.

"You got a long way to go…" Carnage taunts.

X fired his buster again towards Carnage. Carnage easily dodged it by angling his shoulder.

"You shouldn't start a battle you couldn't take…" Carnage smirked


	7. Flying Out

Chapter 6: Flying out

"Are we out yet?" Bass asked from behind, tired of carrying Zero.

"This should be it…" Blues replied, pulling down a lever.

Cracking sound came right in front of them. Light began shimmering the floor as the almost pitch-black room lightening up. A shutter rising, opening its gates to allow more sunlight in.

"Daylight!" Bass cheered.

"Hohoo!" Blues howl in joy.

They stepped out. The flutter is still outside. Good, nobody ever bother it when they were out. Blues went in first, followed by Bass.

"Let's leave them here." Blues advises.

"Right!" Bass replied. 

He laid Zero on the couch as Blues took Roll to her room. Things looked like everything will be fine, later a blasting sound rocked the flutter. Chairs were overturned and Zero nearly fell from the couch.

"What happen!" Blues barked, then another explosion sent the flutter to another rumble.

"Outside." Bass ran out to the door. Blues followed him.

Bass looked around, missile came right for him. He jumped out of its way as the blast almost shoved him over the edge of the tower.

"Bass!" Blues called out.

"Shoot those things!" Bass barked at him, pointing out to a squadron of small one-man size 'airplanes.' 

Bass got up, couldn't shoot in the loss of his buster. Instead, he picked up a laser pistol, despite it had weaker firepower than his buster. Though Bass had long fighting experience, the aircraft managed to dodge his firings easily. Blues fiercely fired his gun onto the crafts but he too was unsuccessful to hit even one of them

"They're fast!" Blues commented. Leaning his back against Bass' and vice versa.

"I don't care how fast they are…" Bass grunted, not even giving a second thought to stop firing. "I'll knock them out of the sky! If you can't"

With that, Bass took a few more shots then a large missile came for the middle of the tower.

"LOOK OUT!!!" Blues called out, jumping away. Bass followed.

The explosion separated them. Bass fell off the tower's edge but wasn't able to fall, his empty hand held the edge prevented his potential end. Blues was slowly getting up and Bass was pulling himself back to the ruin.

An airplane fired its machine gun onto Blues, knocking him down. It was coming for Bass, without stopping his machine gun from firing. Bass pulled himself high enough and noticed that he had lost his pistol. No, without the pistol, he really is powerless to stop that thing, especially in his situation of hanging on one grip and no arm on the other.

Bass' eyes watch in horror as its machine guns are coming for his hanging hand, the very part of his body holding the rest from falling. He could have the time to pull up and jumping down would just destroy him anyway because of the impact for falling almost half a mile from where he is to the sea.

A small missile suddenly hit the plane. A fireball erupted beside the plane just a few inches before its gunfire could hit Bass. It spins around, burning, falling before crashing below the tower and into the ocean with a splash.

Bass hastily pulled himself up at last. He sees a girl with long black hair, wearing a glass mask, and black 'spy suit' flying with the use of a booster strap at her back.

"Timmy!" Bass called out. Blues slowly got up, despite the damages. "This is no place for girls."

"I'm so sorry that you end up like this…" Timmy cried, removing her mask.

"Never mind." Blues hastily broke up the dialogue. "We've gotta go back for X!"

"Right, but we've got to get rid of them first!" Bass protest, pointing to the hovering over them.

The last remaining plane fired its machine gun machine gun onto the party. Bass jumped out first. Blues was far enough to get hit and didn't bother to move but fire at the plane. 

Timmy fired at the aircraft for three times using her laser pistol; the first two missed but the last hit its hind engine, causing it to catch fire. She jumped out almost too late from the firing but she was unharmed when she hit the deck.

Blues finished off the burning craft's wing and the main body. The shooting knock the plane off course and it exploded in mid air.

"Good shooting…" Bass cheered. 

A sudden sound of steel breaking off was heard. The tower then shook.

"What the." Blues grunted, feeling he seemed to be losing his balance. Bass tried getting into upright position and Timmy felt the floor slipping in one direction.

"The flutter!" Timmy yelled, seeing their flying machine rising for a few feet from where it was.

They ran for it but with caution as they too were dodging some of the attacking plane's firing guns.

Blues was on the lead when he slipped. He got up and nearly falling to his back. Bass and Timmy were behind him, better off with their balances when they noticed the horizon is no longer horizontal; it's inclining. Worse, the faster they run, the flutter seemed to be moving away. Then finally Timmy realized what was going on.

"Hurry, the tower is collapsing!" Timmy called out. With that everyone took no hesitation in running fast to reach he flutter

Blues reached the flutter through the door he had left open. He turned around stretching his hand for either Timmy or Bass to get up. 

Bass stumbled. He tried to get up but falls again. Timmy helped him up but Bass still could stand, his left leg always lets him down.

"Are you alright…?" Timmy asked then turned shock to see a hole on Bass leg. "You're…You're shot!" 

"No." Bass sound despaired. "Leave me."

"I won't." Timmy countered. "If you let yourself fall into the ocean then I'm going down with you!"

Timmy lifted Bass from the ground. She could barely lift him yet she tried. This is no surprise as Bass is really heavy, about 200 kilograms. 

The tower tilted even further, making it even harder than ever to get to the flutter.

Timmy glanced up to see Blues gone. The flutter started moving away. No, he's leaving!

"NO!" Bass yelped. "You can't leave without us!"

The Flutter shifts its direction then hovering around and under the tower's top platform. Then it hovered just a few meters above Bass and Timmy.

"Let's jump!" Timmy called out.

Bass jumped with her, despite his malfunctioning leg. As they landed the flutter started moving away.

Timmy and Bass watched in horror as the Flutter distanced itself away from the tower. The tower tilted further and faster. Waves of the ocean grew angrier as it swallows the structure's bottom. At the height of its tilt, the tower broke from somewhere below the sea level, causing it to instantly snap. The ruin's entrance fell like a timbered tree, splashing out several tsunamis in its directions.

"X…"

Carnage stood still inside the ruin. "That's what's wrong with you, always in a ho!" Carnage grinned "Who says heroes shines…" X was on the ground, badly damaged. His armor was again, torn to pieces, and his body was 'bruised" all over.

"What the…" Carnage turned. The cave was rumbling and water is dripping down the sliding door's crack. "Leaks…"

With that, the steel door blew open by the force of water from outside. The force of water also swept Carnage and X, flushing them to nowhere; not knowing if they will be sent deeper into or out of the ruin. The water drenched then deluged then completely submerging the entire room in water. 

Bass sat on the Flutter's living room, depressed. "X…" he gasped, knocking the table with his fist. "…Why did you…"

"It should be my fault…" a female voice came. Bass turned and sees Timmy.

"Its not yours…" Bass replied, turning his attention to the aquarium nearby. "You didn't know all these would happen."

"Bass…" Timmy called out but was somewhat inaudible. 'Boom' the Flutter quaked.

"What the!" Bass yelped. Another deafening blast rocked the Flutter even more. "To the bridge!" Bass jumped out of his sit then dashed, though he was literally dragging his other foot. Timmy followed.

"Come on!" Blues gasped, having difficulty moving the wheels left then right.

"What's going on!" Bass yelled. Timmy came following in.

"We're under attack!" Blues called back

"Again!?" Bass sound irritated.

"Yes, by another squadron!" Blues replied. Another blast followed; the Flutter was hit again elsewhere.

"Watch your wheels!" Bass grunted as he frantically observed the window.

"No, you take the wheels." Blues let go of the ship's wheel. "I'll take them out!"

"But I…" Bass complained.

"Not without your buster." Blues pointed out on Bass' lost buster gun as he dashes out of the bridge.

"Darn it!" Bass grunted taking the wheels. "Timmy, you take…" he called out but turned surprised to see that she was gone. "Where are you?"

Blues burst out of the opening of the Flutter's deck. He sees a squadron of five flying ships, not airplanes. A chipping sound was heard. Machine guns fire coming for him!

Blues turned his head and jumped out of the line of fire. Blues fired his buster but misses. He turned his back only to see a missile coming for him.

The missile was very close and Blues barely manage to jump out of the way. The explosion too, almost knocks him out of the sky and left a dent on the Flutter's deck. 

He stood up and a missile from the flutter knocked one aircraft. The craft's engine got a direct hit and fell to the clouds below as Blues could see.

"Timmy!" Blues gasped, seeing her holding a rifle with a launcher below.

"We must take them out!" Timmy spoke, frantically. "The Flutter can't take more damage!"

Blues got onto his feet, firing his buster gun like a trigger happy onto a nearby craft. It dodges most but some hits were especially critical. Timmy jumps in and fires her rifle, finishing the craft until it exploded in mid air.

"Are these craft with the Bonnes!?" Blues gasp, shooting onto the crafts.

"I knew the Bonnes and this is not one of theirs." Timmy points out as she fires her rifle onto another craft but none of the bullets hit. "Look!" Timmy points out at the wolf like logo at the craft's side, just above their wings.

Blues turned and sees the logo and sees a bright red circle in the center of the craft's head. He didn't noticed them before.

"They're reaverbots!" Timmy yelped.

Blues fired nine shots at the craft, managing to knock its wing. Blues goes for its engine, finishing it off. He smirked as he sees the craft blew out of the sky.

"Look out!" Timmy, from behind, pushes him down. Blues fell kissing the floor then an explosion behind him follow.

Blues raised his head. Another missile came and he sees Timmy screams as she fell to the back of the Flutter because of the blowing winds of the explosion.

"TIMMY!" Blues dashed quickly to the Flutter's back. As soon as he got there, he sees Timmy hanging on the ledge on the lower platform. She was bruised.

Timmy pulled herself up slowly as Blues climbed down to help her. The forth craft fired its gun and it hit one of Timmy's gripping hand She screamed at the pain of the bullet's impact. Now she's left with only one hand to spare.

"Hang on!" Blues had just landed on the lower platform. He fired a few shots to ward of the crafts but Timmy lost her lone grip.

"No!" Blues banged the barrier ledges, breaking them and caught Timmy. "It'll be alright, please hold on…" he assures her though he could see that she must be badly in pain with the sustained injuries from the earlier blast and the bullet shot she had on her other hand.

One craft returned. Blues fired at it but the other craft shot his buster gun, damaging it. Blues groaned. He turned to Timmy only to notice her grip on his slipping.

"I don't deserved to be rescued…" Timmy gasped. "Save the ship or else you and everyone else in this ship will be gone…"

"Timmy…" Blues gasped "don't give up! You must live…!" They were nearly frozen to their thought of each other's care to live then…

During the moment, the airships moved to the back of the flutter, behind Timmy. Their guns were firing…towards Timmy's back! The numerous bullets hit into and through her. Blood gushing and badly staining Blues and the flutter with red. Despite her black suit's color, red blood is unmistakably clear. Timmy was unable to scream though the pain was just unbearable. Her mouth gushed out some blood and her every system in her body was damage to cease functioning. Her eyes widen to stare at Blues one more time just before she froze.

Blues found it too horrible even in words. Never has he seen anyone underwent such torture. Worse, the victim was right before his eyes. Nevertheless he tightened his grip to held Timmy on but its too late now. 

Timmy locked her eye on Blues'.

"Help me…" Came a girl's crying plea. "Don't let go, I don't want to die."

It was not from Timmy. But Blues felt it from the girl's eyes. He wished to help but Timmy was in bloody shape, more dead than alive. 

In the last possible ling of the chain of punishment, Blue's gripping hand was losing. Timmy went limp and her hand was all covered in blood, making it very slippery. Blues tried harder to keep her, though her soul must be gone by now, out of this world. His grip slipping and slipping from her palm then to her fingers then he lost it completely. He lost Timmy, her body falling to the ocean. 

A look of pain and lost remained in her eyes as her falling, coincidentally, keep it fix to focus on Blues. She continued falling until her body splashed into the ocean. The spot of the ocean where she fell turned pink then immediately returned to blue.

"No." Blues froze as well. It was more horrible to die than he once thought. The pain of death was not just physical but mentally and emotionally as well, and he felt what she must have been through. She only blame things onto herself and Blues thought of that he should be blamed for his inability to have rescued her. She doesn't have to die…She doesn't even have to come and risk all the way here!

Blues stood and fired his buster gun to the two remaining crafts at maximum power. One got hit and explodes immediately. The other dodges it and flews to the top of the flutter.

Blues bursts to an even hotter rage within as he climbs back to the Flutter's deck. The flutter shook again as a missile hits the sides of the ship. The craft moved above the Flutter and fired two very large missile, about three quarter of Blue's height the Flutter's history if that thing hits it.

Determined to save the flutter and avenge Timmy, Blues fired his badly damaged buster at a degree of power at dangerous level. The firing of the buster blow through the missile and to the craft, exploding in an orange fireball. Fragments of the craft, mostly very small, fell all over. Blues' buster shoots out some electrical charges and blew in smoke.

The other missile was still coming. Unthinkably, Blues jumped up the Flutter and towards the missile. As contact made, Blues and the missile were engulf in the blast.

Blues fell back into the Flutter. His armor was badly damaged and he was badly bruised. He tried to stand but fell back as he faint, his last energy had drained.

"Can't…keep on…"Bass tried maintaining the Flutter to move straight. Its damages caused it to shake. One machine in the bridge blew in smoke.

"Darn it!" Bass curse the smoke, for causing his view to be impaired. He let go of the wheel, inserted his broken buster gun into it to keep the wheel in place from turning on its own. Bass waved his hand to blow away the smoke.

An island appeared in the distance. 

"Got to land." Bass gasped. Another machine blew up and the Flutter started rumbling a lot and began losing altitude.

"Darn it!" Bass cursed again, pulling out a lever to maintain altitude.

The Flutter was reaching the island but continued moving very fast. Bass frantically lowered another lever to reduce power but a third machine blew and the Flutter was freely moving out of control. 

"Darn it all…!" Bass held onto the wheels. 

The Flutter went on. Its lower fin brushing and breaking off as it hit ground. Bass watch more horror as he sees a forest right out the window. The Flutter bulldozed the mass of trees along the way, causing the bridge to rumble even more. Matters got worse, a mount, equally large as the Flutter, appeared after the forest.

Bass' eyes widen. He can't stop the Flutter and it is moving too fast to stop before the mound. He braced himself for an immediate crash.

The mount was at thirty-five degree slope and the flutter climbed it a bit with a strong impact but not over the mount. Bass, though tightly holding the wheels, was blown off the bridge and out the window.

Bass was free flying out the Flutter and hit ground. He felt himself weaken unusually; the fall must have damaged his system. As he tried getting up, he fell back. He was able to see the Flutter resting, leaning on the side of the mount. The Flutter was partly on fire. He was about a hundred meters away from the ship.

Bass was relieved a bit to have survived but only to be horrified again. The Flutter fell on its left and 'bang' the sides exploded. The Flutter's left wing broke off and more fires are bursting out. Bass couldn't help but watch the precious ship, and everything and everyone inside burning, before him shortly as his power reserved too ran out. 

Finally, his sight of the burning ship was lost in the dark.

The ocean was clear but with some bubbles. Some of the remains of the fallen tower were exposed over the sea's blue veil.

A dark hand burst out and other and a figure came out, climbing one of the floating fragments. The figure was all wet but as the water clears him, his face took shape. Carnage…he lives…lives through the deluge.

A smirked was on his face. Carnage looked up the sky as far as he could observe and began laughing vociferously "HAHAHAHAHHAAA…."


End file.
